Where do you write your poems? What devices do you use? (Eg pen & paper, computer?) Do devices make a difference to you re poetic inspiration?

What do you do if you suddenly get a poetic inspiration? (Eg grab any writing implement at hand to capture it? Or wait & trust that the inspiration will return when you are seated w/ pen/computer in hand?)

For me, I usually write my poems while seated in my easy chair in the family/living room. I write any time of day or eve, when I am taking a break from my domestic chores. I like using a pen & my journal, & then I type the poem in my email on my cell phone (I have a few family/friends who like to receive my poems by email).

If inspiration strikes in the middle of the night & I can't fall back asleep because the poem is turning in my head, I'll write on my cell phone which is handy by the bed (& won't disturb sleeping husband). Most of the time, I trust the inspiration will return, & I tell myself if it doesn't, it probably wasn't that inspiring anyways.

One day, perhaps I will have a lovely writing desk adorned with fresh flowers in a vase, like I imagine writers of times past. But right now, I live with quite a number of extended family in a small, cluttered house, so....isn't clutter fun?

What a great question, Hélène. :) I'm fascinated by this too (read my profile for more). Historically, I used to write with a fountain pen and notebook and I'd write wherever I could. For a long time that meant writing in bed, at a desk or on the train were my favourite places. Over the last ten years I've mostly written on a laptop and occasionally by pen.

I can't write in the mornings, my brain just won't do creativity until about 2pm. I find mid-afternoon and late at night the most inspired times. During Covid lockdown I discovered the magic of long walks and hikes and I was surprised to discover that inspiration would strike very regularly, usually after about 40 minutes of walking. Right when the endorphins kick in. At first I'd take a notepad and pen with me to capture the poems but now I dictate them into my iPhone which does a pretty good job of working out what I'm saying.

I did experiment with improvising some poems as voice notes while walking last year ('Morning People' was written that way as well as a few others).

I am quite sure the technology used to write does effect the writing itself. That said, no amount of money spent on equipment will make a bad writer better. Sitting down with a pen and paper is much more likely to get me inspired than sitting at a blank laptop screen.

I love the app 'IA Writer' for laptop and phone as it's very uncluttered and lets me get my ideas down in a very clear way and lets me add lines here and there throughout the day/week as I'm working on something.

I always carry a notebook and/or have one by the bedside. Words can come at any time of the day or night, least times when I am trying to conjure them up, mostly when lying in bed trying to get to sleep.

I do have dedicated poetry moleskine notebook and scribble in it daily. Ideas! cool expressions I hear, conundrums, etc

Get them down in any way, shape or form you can, then shape them up at leisure and then edit edit edit!