“late summer beauty” by devi laskar

You want to find the very best editor for your own work? Someone who can give it the ‘fine tuning’ it deserves before it goes out into the world? Look no further than the mirror, baby.

It is easy enough to develop an editor’s eye, to be ruthless with your own work. All it takes is practice, and the sound of your own voice, and perhaps a little patience to hear what you’re saying to yourself.

Start by reading aloud a favorite poem: notice its rhythms and cadence and notice, too, how it ebbs and flows from one word to the next. There is nothing extra, there is no fat left on the bone.

My favorite poem remains Carolyn Forche’s “The Colonel.” It gathers steam from one simple declaration to the next and finally the reader is left at the end of the rollercoaster ride exhilarated that the ride took place and saddened that the ride had to end.

That’s what you want, for your own work: fluidity as it rolls off the tongue and happily on to the printed page. Read your work aloud. When it sounds good enough, then you’ll know it’s time to send it off.

It’ll be ready.