Power of the Pen: The Artist and the Blank Page, by William T. Dawson
I first met William Dawson in Mountainaire, New Mexico on August 2007 at the 10th annual Sunflower Festival. I performed my story “Big Butts Are Beautiful” complete with backup girl singers and drum.
William has previously appeared on Riehlife several times. His most recent contribution is “River of Sadness.” Here are his thoughts on the heart of the creative process.–JGR
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A Blank Page
Every Artist regardless of their discipline…Be he/she actor-dancer-singer-poet you name it…must at first deal with the power of attention. To evolve they must deal with the spirituality of the power of their discipline.
In the case of a writer/poet it is The Power of The Pen–for The Pen that inks approval for the execution of a life–is the same pen that snaps the bars of mental confinement for a child. The Power of The Pen….
I guess I have come full circle for my spiritual being laughs at The Power of The Pen and the Word. The Word, the one nobody hears or listens to. For my being has discovered that the real Power of The Pen lies in the Word’s absence. Take for instance the book titled,“when the trees say nothing.” The Power of nothing and its chilling silence will spur those who have heard the trees speak to A War of Words with…The World.
And those who have always lived in the concrete jungle of no parks might be so flippant to look at you a little strange while their construction company blindly demolishes a landmark beloved by the locals and wonder what’s the big deal.
And you might become a little peeved as your collar becomes glowing red until you realize that this guy destroying your perceived attachment was the same one that donated blood at the drop of a hat and saved your sister from an excruciating death and allowed her the opportunity to live.
Same Blood different eyes, different tongues, different hearts with different loves pumping the same blood in a place called America.
This story is about all of that and more. It is about The Power of A Blank Page. its creation and discovery and my journey through the dark side of enlightenment.