The longer I am a writer--so long now that my writing finger is periodically numb--the better I understand what writing is; what its function is; what it is supposed to do. I learn that the writer's pen is a microphone held up to the mouths of ancestors and even stones of long ago. That once given permission by the writer--a fool, and so why should one fear?--horses, dogs, rivers, and, yes, chickens can step forward and expound on their lives. The magic of this is not so much in the power of the microphone as in the ability of the nonhuman object or animal to BE and the human animal to PERCEIVE ITS BEING.
In Alice Walker's reflection on her journey as a writer, she emphasizes the deepening understanding of the essence and purpose of writing. She describes the writer's pen as a microphone, giving voice to not only human experiences but also to the perspectives of ancestors and even inanimate objects, such as stones. This ability to channel diverse voices demonstrates the interconnectedness between writers and the world around them, illustrating the rich tapestry...
