My dissertation chairperson used to say,
“Read, read, read,”
Which really helped
Me write all those pages
Of scholarly haute.

Lately, staleness feels like
It’s creeping into my writing,
So I dusted off her advice to
Kickstart my desire and
Hopefully get better.

I’ve stumbled upon
Giovanni and Finney,
Two strong voices
Teaching me a great deal
Of what I’ve missed in life.

I’ve discovered anthologies
Where a ton of great writing
Is crammed into one spot.
This time around, a history
Of Rock-n-Roll.

Getting back into the stacks
Has jacked my energy level again
And whether it pays off on paper,
Time will tell.
Thanks, Dr. Frazer.