Writing to Music

In Writing Club we have been working on how our senses can stimulate our writing. For example, when one closes their eyes and immerses themselves in music many things can be illuminated, memories, images, vivid and visceral settings, moments in time. So, for this past week in Writing Club we wrote to several music videos hoping that either the tone of the music, or the images on the screen would provoke thought and writing. This video in particular is stimulating for both the ear and the eye, I think members of the group were inspired by both.

The following is one example of writing by the group:

To begin
in the late 1800s the United States built the railroad to connect the north of America to the south
these refrigerated cars brought cold cattle from southern Mexico
to the tip of the United States' fat face
transportation of resources was the business
leaving the south of Mexico like a swollen tongue into an engorged dark mouth

and these children ride the trains
the beast
they slide notes under their parents doors
at twelve, thirteen
grab hold of giant smoking metal snakes
that derail feet off legs
torsos from heads

to ride on the top of a train is to ride a cold river on your bare back
the world splits open for you.