The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily 1448: Orchestra by Russell Brakefield
Feb 3, 2026
A writer reflects on practice, patience, and the slow work of restoration in art and environment. Memories from a writing community and a stubborn bee poem lead into reflections on creative growth. The reading imagines bees' sleep, dance, and electric sense, folding ecological wonder into poetic repair.
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A Workshop That Changed A Poem
- Samiya Bashir recounts attending the Community of Writers in Lake Tahoe and struggling to write a poem about colony collapse disorder.
- She describes Galway Cannell writing the poem she couldn't finish and generously discussing his process afterward.
A Simple Answer About Craft
- After workshop, Samiya sat one-on-one with Galway Cannell and asked how he wrote the poem so quickly.
- His modest shrug and reply, 'This is what I do,' left a lasting impression about sustained practice.
Growth Comes From Patient Practice
- Samiya highlights that time, experience, and attention build craft and understanding.
- She frames artistic growth as cumulative work that makes later effort more fruitful.