I first read Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg many years ago and it inspired my writing. Since then, she’s written several more books about the connections between writing/meditation/art/creativity and living well. I’ve read them all, and learned from them all.
Her approach to writing–set aside a specific time, write and take what is given—her approach is deep within this long-time poetry practice of mine. For the past two months, I’ve spent my Saturday afternoons in an online writing class taught by Natalie Goldberg and it’s been wonderful. On the last day, she read to us from her newest book Three Simple Lines–A Writer’s Pilgrimage into the Heart and Homeland of Haiku. Then we all wrote haiku –two thousand of us, I think—or maybe at the end of eight weeks of Saturdays we were down to 1500? In any case, this is what I wrote:
5 minutes, three lines
Blue toy
Filled with peanut butter
Puppy concentrates
Listen hard–hear
Haiku
Over the neighbor’s lawn mower
Blue spruce leans in
Nearer to the almost
Blooming quince
Orange leaves, dark branches
Next to the new leaves
Lilac–not yet
White stakes mark
Where
The peonies will live
After my neighbor died
Movers empty her house today
While I plan the garden
Puff Of Smoke Poems 
I took Natalie’s class, too. Come Saturday, I will miss writing with you all. I particularly like your last Haiku.
You took that class? What a small world. Hope you enjoyed it. And yes, I will miss writing with other people too.
Yes, I enjoyed it. With all the writing practice, I felt I had lost my poet voice for a time. I did writing practice with a Monday and Thursday group, as well. It is a small world.