Quiet!

by | Jul 17, 2013 | Work Habits | 2 comments

Mockingbird photo, Mimus Polyglottos from US Fish and Wildlife Service via Wikipedia Commons.

Mockingbird photo, Mimus Polyglottos, from US Fish and Wildlife Service via Wikipedia Commons.

Tillie Olsen wrote a book called Silences about the difficulties writers endure—particularly marginalized writers who have limited resources or support for their work. I know she was not talking about the quest for quiet, but the title Silences shoots into my mind and lodges there as I struggle to awaken on another noisy morning in my neighborhood, where silences rarely happen, at least during the day when I want to write.

Between the blast of power tools—leaf blowers, chain saws, compressors, nail guns—the howl of dogs disturbed by the blast of power tools, the screech of children running and riling the howling dogs disturbed by the blast of power tools, the train transporting the parents of screeching children riling howling dogs disturbed by the blast of power tools, the growling helicopters flying low enough to measure low-level radiation coming off the ground over which the train moves parents of screeching kids riling howling dogs disturbed by the blast of power tools, comes in a rare moment the song of a bird.

But is it the soothing, sympathetic coo of a mourning dove? Is it the sweet trill of a little wren snitching berries from my garden? Of course not. In my neighborhood, during this rare moment free of blasting and howling, screeching and growling comes the cacophony of a mockingbird who changes her tune and her tone and her delivery every five seconds, frenetically.

I have not even gotten out of bed on this noisy morning when words come to me, and to my surprise, I can hear them. They have nothing to do with the book I’m writing but they seem brilliant anyway. I arrive at this line: Occupy the moment. I think I will.

How do you mitigate noise when you want to write?

Comments

2 Comments

  1. George Yoder

    Thanks for demonstrating how the noise of power tools, howling dogs, trains, screeching children, growling helicopters can inspire such a delightful piece. Dad

    • Barbara Ann Yoder

      Glad you enjoyed this piece. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere!

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