Saturday, February 25, 2012

Poetry and Prose on the Job


The prose part of your job is the substantive stuff; the work that comes with deadlines and a tangible result. The poetry part involves the creation of feelings and relationships. It may be the slight touch that you add to a report that lifts it from the drone of bureaucratic text. It may be the 30 minute meeting over coffee with a client or a co-worker.

Many of us choose to focus almost exclusively on one side or the other. If we favor prose, we regard the poetry folks as schmoozers and light-weights who avoid the heavy lifting and do little of substance. If we favor poetry, we see the prose people as drab drudges who don't appreciate the importance of beauty and relationships.

The best of us can do - and appreciate the necessity for - both.

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