Practicing

[Doreen Peri]

I am practicing
practically everything
from when to laugh
to how to sing
from how deep to breathe
to determining the
appropriate time
to bring flowers or wine,
from when to write
free verse,
when to rhyme.

I am practicing my timing,
my posture, my swim strokes,
how much to drink, how much
to toke, when to shut up when
I've spoken too much, how best to
touch or when it's best not to touch
'cause it could break you if you do,
when to speak to the issues
and when not to,
how to do the right thing
and how to know when it's right
not left too long
to even bother with.

I am practicing seeing
without vision correction,
the inspection of a moment,
how to avoid trap doors
and disappearing acts,
the most viable methods
for filling up lacks with mores
and scores of other endeavors
at the core of discovery.

I am practicing the recovery
of lost data, practicing
how to be a creator,
practicing every iota
of freedom I can practice while
remembering to continue not
being enslaved and you can
bet I'm practicing memory
before I forget.

Fact is, it all takes practice.
no matter how well you seem
to be adept and skilled and I am
practicing being empty to prepare
for being filled, practicing what comes
next, how to interpret text, how to handle
anger and passion and insults and praise,
when to nod, when to smile, how to ignore
being afraid.

Contrary to statements some have made
practice does not cause perfection.
It's only the point of intersection
between not doing a thing and action.
Better to practice than not.
Shows you're trying.
Brings some semblance
of satisfaction.

And I am practicing playing
a piano concerto in the key of D.,
a rather simple key for me, but
it ain't easy, see?

[keithalanhamilton]

enjoyed the creativity behind this very much......

[Doreen Peri]

Thank you, Keith!

[keithalanhamilton]

[SmileGRL]

really cool writ doreen. i bet a lot of us feel like that most of the time.

[Doreen Peri]

Thanks, MJ!

[Nazz]

"Practice makes perfect." Or as the guru might prefer, "practicing is perfect." Nice, Doreen.

[Doreen Peri]

Thing is, we'll never get it all perfect so life is continual practicing.

Thanks, Mark.

[Arcadia]

beautiful poem, doreen!!

[Doreen Peri]

thank you, arcadia!

[mousey1]

Delightful write, Doreen, just like you...a D light!

Golly that's a lot of practicing! I chuckled at the "practicing memory before I forget"! Well, at least you don't have to practice the sense of humour because you've got it just right.

[saw]

a super poem, doreen.......touches all the right spots on the humility scale....and describes an honest formula for dealing with the madness of the world....and I had never thought of all this as practice....but of course, it is....

[hester_prynne]

It's not the perfecting,
it's the practicing!

LOve this
H