Ray Bradbury said "Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed!"

Emily Dickinson wrote more than 1700 poems. Very few were printed in her lifetime. That mattered little to Emily. She was a poet. It was as necessary for her to write every day as it was to eat and sleep. All this is to demonstrate that, in her case, quantity did produce quality.

Emily's work is now universally acclaimed. Although she was writing for herself alone, she learned through writing to speak to every human heart.  Now, anyone can read one of Emily's poems and feel it speak to her, or him.

At first reading, Emily's poems may seem simple, but there is a richness that becomes apparent to the eye and ear with subsequent readings, yet her poems have a clarity as crystaline as a Mozart sonata. 

None of Miss Dickinson's poetry was titled, so they are usually known by the first line, or by a number.

Back to Ray Bradbury and his statement that quantity produces quality.

I once wrote for a half hour before breakfast for over a year, to see if I could form a habit of doing so. As soon as I did not make the effort I knew that I had not formed a habit.

I didn't miss it. 

No early morning yen, no irritating 'something is lacking' feeling.

If I had coffee or tea and a bite of breakfast first, then I could make it a habit, I am sure.

I will return to that custom and devote the summer to poetry with coffee. Or tea.  Anyone wish to join me? 

Civic Duties

Is it better to serve by registering voters and working on public forums or should I resign from the local League of Women Voters Board of Directors so that I am free to campaign for my favorite candidate?

It is a quandary.  On the one hand the LWV is a great advocate for issues. We study in depth then come to an informed consensus. Then we advocate for those issues we have found to be valuable to the community, state, and/or nation.

Our forums invite every candidate for an office, questions are written and sent to the podium from the audience, and each candidate has the opportunity to respond to each question.  People who attend get to hear the candidates' opinions on the things that matter to them.

We publish a voter's guide with information about the ballot issues and the candidates are invited to offer a brief statement about themselves and their positions for the Guide.  I will see that the Voter's Guide is published on our kclwv.org website when it is ready.  We distribute it to libraries because it is too expensive for us to print  thousands of copies. Libraries have copying machines if someone wishes to own an LWV Voters' Guide.

All of these are good and worthy efforts to inform the public and encourage all who are eligible to cast their vote.  

But:

I would like so much to be able to work for a candidate, stuff envelopes, make phone calls, to post a sign in my front yard in support of the candidate, host a "meet the candidate" event, attend a rally.  Because I am a somewhat visible member of the League by being a Board member, and because the LWV is absolutely non-partisan, only issue oriented, as long as I remain a member of the LWV Board I cannot openly support any candidate lest my support be interpreted as LWV support.  Members who are not on the Board are encouraged to be politically active in their own parties, and on occasion, a board member will take a leave of absence for the purpose of campaigning for a party or candidate.  

My dilemma is, is registering new voters and working on candidate forums more valuable than working for a candidate?

Do you have an opinion?