Mental Blocks and the Contemporary Love Poet

The contemporary love poet is subject to mental blocks leading to difficulty writing, just like those encountered by any other writer. Having a mental block is comparable to encountering a roadblock on the highway and being forced to stop, or make a detour. 

In life, as in writing, there can be many detours. With a mental block, the contemporary love poet suddenly finds that somehow, or for some unknown reason, he or she has 'lost his or her muse', or source of inspiration. He or she experiencing problems with respect to writing contemporary love poetry. This may prove to be only a temporary 'dry spell' for a contemporary love poet which can last for just a short period of time, or indefinitely.

Questions for the contemporary love poet include why a mental block has happened, as well as how to 'find his or her muse', or experience inspiration that inspires him or her to write again. 

Why do mental blocks happen? Sometimes, a mental block has to do with a contemporary love poet's personal situation or circumstances, but not always. It may have more to do with his or her momentary frame of mind and feelings that surface.

What should a contemporary love poet who has encountered a mental block to do? In other words, how can a mental block be resolved? 

Sometimes there are no easy answers for contemporary love poets experiencing mental blocks.Perhaps what is needed most is a rest, particularly after the contemporary love poet has been writing for a long time, or has been actively engaged in a large project. Maybe he or she has just completed a body of work and nothing further need be stated on that particular topic. Or perhaps the contemporary love poet suddenly realized that he or she has been heading in a potentially, disastrous direction and must find a safer highway, road or pathway. Maybe he or she just needs some 'time out' to think about, or do something else.

A mental block for a contemporary love poet  may be related to severe criticism of his or her poetic work by critics, readers or others, or perhaps someone he or she loves and respects. Critics can be extremely hard on contemporary love poets, and love poets are often sensitive to criticism from anyone. Being sensitive is a good thing, as it is part of what makes a contemporary love poet effective as a writer, but negative criticism can seem devastating.  

In reality, no writer or contemporary love poet has to write all of the time. In fact, many contemporary love poets are known to write bodies of contemporary love poetry at specific times in their lives, but not at other times. Since the contemporary love poet writes because he or she loves to write contemporary love poetry, it is never obligatory to produce poetic works all of the time, unless he or she feels inspired, is led by someone or something, or otherwise feels compelled to do so.

The contemporary love poet may be frustrated with his or her previously failed attempts at publication. Contemporary love poetry is not always easy to publish and thus, repeated rejection may occur. The contemporary love poet have negative feelings associated with the rejection of his or her work, or even take it as personal rejection. A contemporary love poet may also find that others do not necessarily comprehend, or appreciate anything he or she has written and thus, become disillusioned and begin to question his or her ability to write.

It is important for a contemporary poet to understand that not everyone will necessarily want to read everything he or she has been inspired to write poetically. Even if, or when they do read it, there is no guarantee that they will fully comprehend, or understand it within the context in which it has been written; nor do they have to understand or appreciate it. At times, contemporary love poetry is not appreciated or understood, until many eras later.

Knowing the reason for a mental block may help to resolve it, but it may simply be a matter of time before a contemporary love poet desires to write again. Perhaps a different inspiration like a unique experience, another interest, or a new love may help to re-awaken his or her muse. If a contemporary love poet truly loves writing contemporary love poetry, his or her road block will likely serve to detour him or her to the right highway, road or pathway to writing poetically.

Perhaps he or she is destined to discover a higher pathway? Maybe he or she is able to climb over the mental block, crawl under it or find another way around it. Love works like that and where there is a will, there is usually a way.