The Making of..."On Second Thought"

Hi.

As I probably mentioned before, I'm always trying to find new and creative ways to write about the same topics I have in the past. I'm assuming that a lot of real professional writers perform a similar practice. This just broadens the possibilities of how you can express these thoughts. "On Second Thought" is funny, sad and is familiar ground. I really enjoyed doing this one. I basically took the common topic of the supposed rebounding phase that a person may encounter after a breakup. It's something I've done in the past, some comedically and some were a bit more dramatic. I wanted to tell a story during this poem. I mean, they all tell stories in some form. But I wanted it to read like a short story with rhyming elements involved. I attempted this style about 2 years ago and have fallen in love with it since. I think it just helps me think about different elements I wouldn't otherwise, like dialogue which I always love to write (but seemingly rarely like to partake in) setting, mood...That's it. It helps set the mood. And I think the reader recognizes that mood and can immediately relate to the experience. Those seem to be people's favorites.

This starts with a guy who's on a date with this interesting and sweet person. It's all really inner dialogue and his reactions to what's going on in front of him. On the outside, he's very polite and outgoing. However, inside he's very smug, defiant, almost angry. Most importantly, in denial. Rather than enjoying the moment and this person's company, he stews in his head and tries to prove to, I guess, himself that he's gracefully moved on from this past relationship. He compares women and has this "see, I told you so," mentality. The funny thing is that he doesn't see how self destructive this train of thought is. And that's because he's too involved in these feelings. As a reader who is outside the box, you see how evident it is. In one part, he says, "I don't give you a second thought," but right after that, he gives that person more and more thought. This self contradiction was very funny to create and watch unfold. The end of the piece serves as the revelation and that is quite sad, but very healthy and right.

I mean, discussing these things are tricky because I'm such a guarded person. But by writing about these topics, people may make the connection and assumption that this is exactly what I'm going through. I'm usually hesitant to admit that stuff and say that it's sort of objective or just about an idea I had. And sometimes that's very truth. But you know what? I'm going to do something different this time. This is absolutely about myself and personal experience. Some of it is embellished and certain aspects are added, but the feeling is directly from my heart with this one. I won't give the timeline, but to give you an idea, this is based on something that happened months ago. There you go! Felt good. I've been thinking a lot about this. The idea that all the situations I am seemingly so afraid of are the same ones that I sometimes voluntarily put myself in. It was like that in college. And it's like that in my creative ventures. Ironic how that works. And I think that's one of the many struggles I face: Trying to coincide that fear with the excitement that I have deep inside for those same things... I don't know. By the way, that's another topic I'm writing about. Although I'm not too sure many people will relate to that.

Well that's all for now.

Thanks.