Is there a "right" way to create?

 Last night, I stepped outside my comfort zone and went to a poetry reading that had an open mic.  I read two of my poems.  I will post one of them later in this blog.

At the end of the evening, I was approached by a woman who I am fairly certain was not in the room when I read.  She will be the feature reader next month and is an accomplished poet.  She overheard a conversation I was having with someone else and began to "school" me on the right way to write.  My process is my process.  I tried to be kind and thank her for her input ( she went as far to suggest I write using my feet- ok then, if that works for YOU, but that's a no from me.)  She sternly told me I should not use my mind when I write.  Well That maybe YOUR process, but mine is something I have been honing since I was seven and started writing.  I just open my mind and my heart and... go.

The conversation unnerved me to the point I am asking anyone who writes to answer this question:

Do you write with your head and heart  or  with your feet?

I honestly don't know if the woman were speaking in metaphor or she actually thought I could grip a pencil in my toes or type with them.

Most of my poetry is free verse, but I think I will play around with haiku ( there are serious format instructions and it's not just counting syllables, I have to revisit the format)  

Here's the poem I read.  It was well received, as far as I can tell ( I was nervous)

Grief Part 2

There are no more tears left

You want to scream

or drive

or slit your wrists

But you don't

Instead

You 

Cook a meal you don't eat

Play music you don't hear

Sit in the dark

Knees drawn to your chest

and wait for day to come

The poem is a reaction to a number of issues that have hit me and although I wrote  the base of it a while ago, recent events made it worth revisiting.   Poetry is healing, shared pain releases it to the ether.

I am going to keep writing, with my mind and my heart.  I think I will keep my feet out of the equation.