freewriting

freewriting

 

 

"how do we drive the narrative?"---

 

heard a news spokesman

speak in those terms

and it left me flummoxed

needing a rest stop for refreshment

and rejuvenation

 

maybe to switch cars, shifting

to a comparison

 

living without you to living with you

but it has no title

 

beguiling as you are

my pen is still stuck on description

and definition

 

of me, of us

while our essay 

is like a self-driving auto

 

automatically taking our hearts

wherever it wants to

 

and even i can't steer an argument

towards future's 

on-ramp.

 

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/26/19

Reviews

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

"Driving the narrative" seems a false concept to me unless you are writing a book. If you are "driving the narrative" in life then you are living under the impression that you are going somewhere when you're really not moving at all. Otherwise, the narrative would simply be. When it comes to so-called "news," the problem is that someone is always driving a narrative, a narrative that they want to be, that if it were wouldn't need to be driven at all.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

such an insightful response to this piece...as always...thank you, Linda,
j.

[MissEnigmas]

"Driving the narrative" would not be a false concept as we "know" that our senses are first in action, then our bodies. The mind perceives the thing and then we choose to write...our will is done. Beautiful j, as always.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, MissE,
j.

[Robert Trakofler]

wow what a starting line...poof I'm generally driven to distraction in my narratives LOL you are in insatiable writer even pondering this question my friend! and my gut instinct answer is in the infer for in the infer the answers appear to the self... and thus owned for the definition is an organic thing

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i think you are so spot on, bunny....
thank you for your insights...
j.

[Lorry]

And while i wonder why i continue with a self driving car without sat nav, that has ADHD and is currently having a microprocessor meltdown, i wonder why Clive Barker is the guest author writing my life.
My story so innocently too. I wonder when it all went Dr Suess on a bad acid trip.
No matter our wordsJacob, our mind wants the answers to why we veer so far from our expected narrative.
Your last line sums it all up. That steering wheel is for decoration only.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you are too funny...Dr. Seuss on a bad acid trip...
he even ate green eggs and ham...couldn't tell what it was.
thank you for the words and the smile, Lorry,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

"how do we drive the narrative", so interesting this line. Should we be even thinking about it? The fact that this question is asked at all, makes me feel the relationship is sort of strained, it isn't spontaneous. It needs to loosen up I say for it to work. Your work, as good as ever Jacob.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Chris,
j.

[John the Baptist]

News narratives and relationships are both sometimes driven by BS. The relationship in this offering, however, seems to be driving itself. Will it last? The last verse seems to indicate it's still up in the air. Good luck.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, John,
j.

[Crowley]

That last line is awesome. And the title is as well. That term driving the narrative infuriates me the way it is used. Its like how much can we get out of this that is not really this at all. Fantastic all the way to the last line. Loved it.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Crowley,
j.

[kentuck14]

Hmmmmm . . . driving the narrative! What a great use of that expression!! Love the metaphors . . . the passing from stanza to stanza like viewing from the window of a passing auto. We look over at the driver and no one is there!!! We are scarily out of control! Life has grabbed the wheel from us . . . but it's all illusion . . . we are getting nowhere!
T

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, T.
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Which ever way is natural and be true to one self is how one should drive a narrative and don't listen to the media lol.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i totally agree, andrew,
j.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed the makers of news do drive the narrative and whip up emotion in whatever political colour they choose. And if we were to hear descriptions of our past relationships told by the other party it might also seem so. Indeed our emotions seem so buffeted by the winds as we fluctuate between defiant survival, anger and distress.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, John,
j.