Cold and rainy Monday Prompt. (Adrienne Rich)

There's a line that I was told is in the writing of the poet Adrienne Rich (but now I can't find it): "I am thinking how we can take what we have to make what we need." Adrienne Rich is a great poet and thinker, even if this line is not hers--or was said in person to the person who quoted it to me and is not therefore enshrined on the internet.

In any case, I may have quoted this to you before in class or in meetings because I think this sentiment pretty well communicates what we need to do as artists.

To know what we have. All the resources. All the abundance. The skills the time the stuff the strategies the others the alternatives the space the rhythms the relationships the changing.

To know or to discover: what we need. What we actually need may surprise us. It may not be the Big Glorious Monument. It might be the moment we notice the sun glint off a wet stone. We need to be open to discovery, to permit ourselves to be persuaded by our intuitions, our dreams, our logic, our friends, our situations.

To Make. By trying and trying again. By leaning into the possibilities of the resources (all of them). And by looking at, observing, noting, considering the results. And being willing to try again.

Today's questions (just apply curiosity):

What do you have?

What do you think you need?

What kinds of making, thinking, playing, exploring do you imagine might help you to make what you need?


The best way to respond to this prompt MIGHT be to write in your journal, but you might feel as if you'll get deeper by responding creatively. The form of your response is part of your consideration: what do I need.

Some Sources:

This Google Document is accumulating links to resources.

You can watch this Wooster Group show for free this week.

Do you have resources to share with your peers? Leave them in the comments!

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