Carmina proveniunt animo deducta sereno

[Truerenigma]

There has to be some control. Really that's all. The mind doesn't have to be calm. There can be emotional things going on in one's life and mind. But the poet must have control, be rational, and be able to view their work through a critical eye. For some people to do this they need to take time and reflect, sometimes a long time. Some people turn to rational thought, system building, and the technical and mundane as a defense mechanism during times of heightened and acute emotional stress. Everybody's the same but different.

As for me, I just write when I can. I can choose to be calm. I can't always write, least of all well, but when I can--especially if I want to, or have an idea for a poem--I write. I edit later if there's anything worth keeping.