Music To Her Ears, Poetry In My Pen: A Mother’s Guide to Writing, By Blanca Crespin

Sometimes finding time to write is tough, especially if you work full-time, or go to school full-time and work a part-time job too. Finding time while doing that is hard, but imagine when you have a child. Time is nonexistent; your day is full of mommy chores and baby stuff. Sometimes writing can’t fit into your schedule, like mine––I work full-time, I’m a student full-time, and a mommy on top of those two things. Trust me, I know it’s hard squeezing in time to write. I know most people’s advice is, “Have a notebook ready or in arm’s reach when you have an idea or something you need to write down before you lose it!” But that’s not always the case. Sometimes having a notebook and pen in arm’s reach isn’t always the solution, because either you’re too busy doing mom stuff, chores around the house, or just plain busy making sure your child doesn’t get into something they shouldn’t.

Mommies, having a child doesn’t mean you no longer have the time to write like you used to have. When it comes to being by yourself and writing to your heart’s content, it means making sure your little human is taken care of and happy. I’ve learned that being with your child and noticing the smaller things can make a beautiful poem that others can enjoy with you. Here are some examples.

Movies

Watch a movie with your child and notice how they’re reacting to the movie, the music, and the characters. Do they pick up any mannerisms from the characters in the movie? If so what is it they are mimicking? Use that to make a poem that embodies that moment. Let us, the readers, live through that moment with you, let us feel what you felt when you noticed this smaller thing that most don’t.

This can be an exercise to help with a poem; it helps you notice small details like body movement, and facial expressions. This should get your creative juices running, if it doesn’t then try this exercise next.

Music

I know all of us listen to music no matter what genre, or where it comes from. I listen to whatever music sparks my attention or gives me a feeling that I need to get down in paper. This can also be linked to the first exercise with movies, depending on the movie––many kids’ movies have fun, upbeat music for our little ones to be entertained and not be jumping around (let’s hope, but not always the case) like my daughter, Rocio, who loves Coco because of the music. If a piece of music or lyrics bring something to life inside you or bring back a memory that’s been itching to get out, use that opportunity to write it no matter how messy or sloppy it can get. It can always be cleaned up. No matter what music you use to write with, even try to write to the beat of the song if you can and make it into a spoken word piece. If you can, experiment with the music and writing you are doing while listening to the song.

I actually use music a lot to write some of my pieces, I find sanctuary when it comes to music. It gets me to a place in my head and heart that helps me write what I need to write––not what I necessarily want to write. Later on I add what I want but first I try to write what needs to be written.

Both options can also buy you some quiet time from your child to write some ideas down (if not a whole piece) because they’ll most likely be too entertained from the movie or music. I’ve been doing this with my child and it’s gotten better now that she’s older; she’s able to be entertained for much longer periods of time than when she was a year old. I hope these exercises and prompts help spark a poem or piece that you’ve been wanting to get on paper!