Writer's Block:  Advice to Myself

I.

Follow the words.
Trust their pathfinding ways.
Like mountain goats, they have
hoofs -- sharp and narrow --
sure to find and pursue
the faintest ripple on 
a sheer rock face.

II.

If the words fold their arms and turn their backs,
remember 
they learned that posture from you.

Look to the spaces.
Slip between.
No matter how sullen they seem,
words are curious beasts.
If you are lucky, they will
follow you,
peek over your shoulder,
dart at last under your arm, rushing ahead to run
questing fingers and eyes over
this country of which they have not
yet dreamed.

III.

If you are stubbing your toe on words,
pick them up and place them in the midst of
anything that flows.
Remember it is stones that set
the rivers singing.

IV.

Words are angels:
So they won't take you soaring tonight?
Don't pout.
Reach out.
Grab hold,
Wrestle.

True words won't fight by Queensberry rules.
Your wounds will be real.
So will your blessing.

                                                            MCK

**********

And, without words,
Moving towards form: