I Am Waiting

a writing prompt for you from a Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem

Welcome to Writing in Company. This is a community for you, whatever your experience with writing. It’s an invitation to write about what matters—grief, gratitude, grace, and more. Each week I share some words and a writing prompt, meant to be jumping-off points. Use the prompts however you like—to journal, to draft thoughts for your own writing project, as meditation or prayer ideas, or for another creative endeavor. You can always look back through the archive for more ideas. Grab your pen and paper, and let your words loose on the page.

I spent the past few days in our nation’s capital with my three sisters. We were there to attend the swearing-in of our youngest sister to a big-time job with USAID. We met important people in impressive rooms who said flattering things about her—all of which are true.

https://x.com/PowerUSAID/status/1851372848679457247

I am so proud of her. (And all my remarkable sisters.)

Our last night we walked around by the White House, and noticed more-than-usual gating and construction in the area. Turns out Kamala Harris spoke in front of thousands there last night, as the race for the presidency enters its final stretch. I’m sorry I didn’t stay long enough in town to hear her. I’ve already cast my vote for her, for democracy, for our planet, for women, and for our queer and trans family, friends, and neighbors. For whatever small platform I have, I want to be clear about where I stand.

This next week will be long as we wait to see the results and the aftermath of a critical election. We may be waiting a while. As crucial as these election results seem to be, they are not the only things America is waiting for. Lawrence Ferlinghetti names some others. Here’s just one stanza from his poem I Am Waiting, and you can read or listen to the whole poem here.

excerpt from I Am Waiting 
—by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

I am waiting for the Great Divide to be crossed   
and I am anxiously waiting
for the secret of eternal life to be discovered   
by an obscure general practitioner
and I am waiting
for the storms of life
to be over
and I am waiting
to set sail for happiness
and I am waiting
for a reconstructed Mayflower
to reach America
with its picture story and tv rights
sold in advance to the natives
and I am waiting
for the lost music to sound again
in the Lost Continent
in a new rebirth of wonder

a writing prompt

What are you waiting for—not just for you personally—but for the greater good, for the community and country in which you live? Start with the phrase “I am waiting for….” and see what comes from your pen. When you reach a stopping place, repeat “I am waiting for…” and see what else there is still to say.

And go vote if you haven’t yet! It’s a privilege not available everywhere, and it matters.

Next Writing Hour is Saturday - Two Sessions in November

To recoup some writing time lost to Hurricane Helene, I’m scheduling two Writing Hours for paid subscribers in November. These will be Saturday November 2nd and Saturday November 23rd, both from 4-5 pm Eastern. Mark your calendar now! If you want to write in company with others, you are welcome to join in. You can upgrade your subscription for a month ($7) just to try it. A separate email to paid subscribers will go out with the link, or you can find it on my Substack tab called Writing Hours. Let’s write together.

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