TIMED WRITING EXERCISES INSPIRED BY NATALIE GOLDBERG'S WRITING DOWN THE BONES

July 29: can we (11 minutes)

Can we change the subject?
Can we move along and get a Life?
Can we speak in tongues but not tell anybody about it?
Can we assume the position?
Can we say what's on our minds, what's truly on our minds?
Can we flow like the ink of a pen, move along gracefully, mostly, except when we don't, except when things get kinda gunked up?
Can we see beyond the horizon?
Can we take things for granted, just for a few minutes, and then we'll act right again, can we?
Can the end of a pipe---nevermind.
Can we make sense of all of this?
Can we make sense of any of this?
Can we get a witness?
Can we stop and smell the coffee/roses?
Can we have a moment to ourselves?
Can we be totally honest?
Can we live with that?
Can we open our eyes wide and really see?
Can we afford the life we're living?
Can we keeping going without looking back?
Can we spell hippopatomus?
Can we laugh at ourselves, individually or collectively?
Can we admit that we're probably a lot better than we think we are?
Can we concentrate?
Can we rhyme five words with "bible?"
Can we cover up a cough in a quiet public place so that no one knows it even happened?
Can we draw black lines on a piece of paper, vertical lines --
not necessarily perfect, but none of them touching each other
-- so that the entire page is filled with black and white?
Can we say that with our mouths closed?
Can we register for the Draft at this late stage in the game?
Can we hear the ball point writing these words or is that our imagination?
Can we stop this now?
Can we count on tomorrow?
Can we fly?
Can we talk like we write?
Can we question the sentence?
Can we push ourselves beyond the point of mild discomfort?
Can we give 110%, I mean really?