Will you push the domino? by Brendan Conboy

I am always fascinated to watch a Domino topple challenge.  It can take many days to set up intricate patterns in order to watch a few minutes of breath-taking cascade.  Each domino piece is carefully placed in order to hit the next one and make it fall.  What would happen if the first domino fell too far away, nobody bothered to topple it, or it toppled in the wrong direction?  There would be a great anti-climax and disappointment.

The same anti-climax can happen in our writing when we face rejection from publishers, magazines, competitions, critiques, etc.  Like the Domino Masters, you have painstakingly laboured over your creation.  Some of you may not have even started writing your manuscript, you just keep putting it off.

We all have a domino to push of some kind or another.  This week, I pushed a new kind of domino, as I took part in a local arts festival.  I have made several attempts in the past to be accepted as part of the Nailsworth Festival but was always turned down (I pushed the wrong domino)  Then, some months back, by chance, I met a local Christian textile artist called Christine Raw.  She had been asked to organise an art exhibition in one of the local churches.  I told her of my failed attempts to take part in the festival and she invited me to bring my books and read poetry at her event.

I agreed instantly and pushed the metaphoric domino causing more dominoes to fall.  I quickly noticed that the festival also held a poetry slam, hosted by nationally recognised, mainstream poets, so I applied.  That domino fell and I was surprisingly selected to perform and compete (watch this space, the competition is tonight).  On the first day of the festival, I was scheduled to read poetry in the church but it was such a sunny day that no one bothered to come in, so I pushed another domino.

I took myself to where the people were, sat down with them and offered them a poetry reading.  I became a minstrel poet, moving from one group to the next and each warmly received my words.  I was shocked by the response (like cascading dominoes) and I even sold books.

On day three I read a poem for someone who is currently organising another art exhibition and he is now considering me as their resident poet (another toppling domino).

There are two things to learn from this blog, firstly keep on pushing and secondly consider collaborating with other creative people, Christine was my first domino.

 

Brendan Conboy aka Half Man Half Poet is the author of 11 published books including his fascinating autobiography, The Golden Thread.  In 1986, Brendan invited Jesus into his life and God blessed him with the gift of rhyming words.  He used that gift as a Christian Rap artist for 25 years and has written 5 poetry books including the entire Book of Psalms in Rhyme.  He has 3 published novels - Issues, Invasion of the Mimics and Legacy of the Mimics.  He is the creator of Book Blest Christian book festival.  Brendan is available for speaking events, poetry performances and workshops.  Visit Brendan's website HERE.