draft in meter

In a push to make my writing as efficient as possible, I have hobbled myself by editing my words before they get the chance to land on the page. I participated in another friendly short story competition at my partner's workplace, and decided it would be a good exercise to countermand my writer's block by writing in 'stream of consciousness' style, but sadly found the stream had dried. It was only when I started writing in meter that the words seemed to spill out easily. I think the focus on rhythm and shape rather than meaning or content afforded me the necessary disinhibition. This may not work for you(r brain). I was chatting to my brother about writing in meter and he said he could not think of anything worse for establishing a good drafting flow. On this day an old man walked along the lengthened shore where fish did flop and wither into garum on the baking sand, and gathered up an arm and more of stinking weed. Proffered high above his head to bar the unrelenting sun against his…