Wayward Sailor.

Looking south
like a wayward sailor
in search
of warmer winds.
No verdant land
on the horizon
yet.
The cold here
burns my face
and leaves me
in ragged company.

- - -

I finished reading a book today that was called 'Better than Running at Night.' It was about a girl named Ellie who is studying abroad at a school called NECCAD. It's an arts school, and it's basically just about her day to day life and her love of art. It's about how, despite distractions, she works so hard to become a better and more subtle artist. How she rediscovers herself and her talents.

The writing in the book was simple, and it was a fast read, but I really enjoyed it for a number of reasons. The first was that it was the first book I've actually finished in quite a long while. When I was in junior high, I could tear through a book in a matter of hours. I could read multiple stories and keep them straight. This ravenous reading is really where my love of words stems from I think, but as I entered high school, my reading pace gradually slowed and at one point stopped altogether.

I don't know why that was.

I think I could partially blame it on being more concerned with my own writing. I think I could probably partially blame it on being involved with boys. I could partially blame it on my terrible grade ten and eleven English AP teacher Mrs.Andriuk, who nearly made me stop writing.

I can thank Mr.Shamchuck, my english teacher this year, for re-igniting that love of words in me. And also for encouraging some of my best writing. I can also thank thee boy, who read three books in the time it took me to read one, and who helped spur that need of reading again.

Anyways, my thought of the day is this: Can you be a writer without being a reader?