How To Approach The Page

When returning to the page after a long hiatus,
approach quietly, calmly,
hiding your pen in a pocket.
Slowly take the page and place it
on the desk. Caress it, talking softly
about its tooth and fiber, and how
the page and your pen will work very well together.
Only when the page is calm
should you reveal your pen.
While still touching the page,
begin writing--slowly at first, then
gradually increase your speed.
At some point, you will realize
that it has been the page, all along,
that has been training you,
waiting for you to return,
waiting to bring your pen back to it.