I am so glad you stopped by here and discussed the really hard work of putting pen to page, or fingers on keys. I have been exactly in the spot you are describing. For me, writing poems can often be very very hard and I struggle for each word and line break.

Funny that you also mention doing something physical because as I was taking a yoga/pilates class today I found myself thinking of a few poem topics that I was avoiding but that I will not work on.

Looking forward to checking out your site!

I have established a writing routine for myself as a poet because those times when a poem just tumbles out whole from the heavens is so rare for me that if I wait for it, I would probably only write one poem a year, if that.

After that initial creative spark, or image, or line buzzes in my head, I find that most of what follows for me in the creation process is basically sheer manual labor–slow, painstaking work that does not actually feel all that creative. Then there’s another leap of inspiration, or a problem is suddenly solved as though by magic, or an elegant solution that jumps out from my fingers onto the page. I don’t know what to compare it to…maybe mining? Clink, clink, clink, and then bam! There’s a shining ruby.

I do have times where even when I show up to the page, nothing happens. That’s when I try to go do something physical, to get out of my head and into my body. Often times the best writing happens for me while my body is fully engaged in some activity. It seems to help open my mind up and remove mental blocks.

I think I get moments of inspiration for both but the difference with poetry and prose is that the music of the poem idea may be lost if I don’t write it down right then whereas the idea for a story or essay can just be written down and can often be served better but time to stew.

And, of course, I could have used other analogies especially given that the word erection was already used twice on the page