Who Knew? Charlie Sheen: The Poet

With Charlie Sheen fresh in the news, the media has picked up on his previous history as a Poet. He has one published book which is rare to find, I understand from this online article by GQ. From these examples he presents a short and concise style of writing. However, I am reminded how effective poetry can be to provide a window into the emotions behind the writer's outside persona, this being particularly effective when seeing 'behind' the media portrayal of a celebrity. Poetry seems to unlock something that prose doesn't: a stark reflection of the inner mind, with no fillers or description to crowd out the purity of meaning. Prose takes more words to do something that poetry does in less, yet with deeper impact. It is in what is not said that power of this communicative medium lies. 

The Power of Pictures and Words.

I have a problem. It's paper. There is too much of it in my home. In an effort to reduce the eternal pile I often pick up pieces of printed debris, of any sort, from the table tops to the floor, in order to make an emotionless decision as to its fate that day. During one such flurry, I read about the picture above. This isn't my image, but I understand, from 'The Big Issue', (that I had just picked up too quickly browse through before recycling), that it went viral at the end of March after being posted on Twitter. According to the Editor, the tweet explained how this boy had lost his mother in an attack in Iraq. He missed her so much that he drew a picture of her beside him and lay against it to sleep at night. Perhaps it is the mother in me but I wept at the thought sporn from the words, let alone the actual picture which I took a moment to find on the page. The editor's point, however, was that 'If this picture tells a human and horrific narrative in a simple, quiet way, then it has done a job more powerful than the well-meaning but ultimately futile visits to these places by princes and senior politician's wives. We have voices and we can make our voices heard.' (p.3 Apr 1-7, 3013. No.1045). This led me to thinking about poetry and doodles. Powerful messages can be evoked with the simplest of words. Result of today's paper tidying frenzy: I feel, as a poet, greatly encouraged, and 'The Big Issue', saved from the fate of the recycling bin, and held in greater reverence from one swift moment to the next, currently sits on my table to allow the power from the words and picture to digest slowly in my mind.

The Word Power Buzz

I love writing poetry. Writing poetry for me provides a medium for the expression of my soul. Like an artist might express himself through paint and colours, I do so through words (as much as I would love to have the gift of painting too!). It is such satisfying way to vent the soul's angst in life, or praise of good things.

So to be able to read the poetry of others is something that I find exciting as it provides a window into someone else's soul. There is a certain fellowship to be found in that. Here is a poem that I recently found on a friend's blog:

http://kevburgess.blogspot.com/2008/12/honest-prayer.html.

Reading other people's work also gives me a fresh appreciation of poetry from the reader's point of view. Whilst some of the ones I write can still make me smile or move me to tears on a further reading, to read someone else's poetry provides a fresh appreciation as to the power of words, so simple yet powerful when brought together to form one message.

I encourage anyone who has not tried it yet to do so.