Page Against the Machine
On The Act Of Creation And The Freedom It Gives Us
You can only ever be truly free on a page.
It allows you to break all rules, then make your own, only to shatter them too.
It allows you to create new worlds as the ink you spill becomes their veins, bringing them to life.
It allows to write with words, but you can also paint or put down the notes that would pull a guitar's strings.
Hell, you can burn it, tear it, fold it into a paper plane and it would still be an act of expression.
The page is a mirror – one that shows us not only what we are, but what we desire to become.
It forces us to sit with ourselves, to wrestle with our ideas, to get lost and find our way back.
But we’re entering an age where ink is replaced by prompts. Where creation will no longer be an excavation of the self, but a mere transaction. Creativity is being productized and industrialized.
And don't get me wrong, there's great value in the tools we're building. But only if they're used to extend our reach, and not to replace us entirely.
The moment we hand over our pens and put them on the assembly line is the moment we give ourselves up.
See, a work of art is not the final product, as we're tempted to believe.
The poems, the songs, or any creative piece of work are only the by-product of their author.
Creation lies in the struggle, the exploration, the staring at the blank page until something inside cracks open.
We now get locked in convenience’s prison
Everything becomes instant, effortless, automated and we’re missing out on the truly important part.
We’re losing the messy, beautiful process of thought. We’re losing the solitude that leads to clarity. We’re losing the raw, unfiltered, human part of creation.
Today, it's more important than ever to pick our pens up. Even if only for ourselves and not for the public.
Because leaving our pages blank means letting someone else fill them for us.
And if we allow our voice to be taken away, we’re lost.
Related poem I wrote 5 years ago
* Part of “16 Bullets And A Bouquet”. Get the latest edition at any price you want (including for FREE) – https://vangelov.gumroad.com/l/16bb
Did you enjoy this new format? Let me know in the comments 🙂
Until next time, keep your life in rhyme ✍️,
Vanauthor
Poet & Lyricist