Then I decided to draw from and on my own imagination, and

In the luminous words of Jack Prelutsky, poet of childhood wonder and master of whimsy, we find a truth that sings like a bell in the heart of every creator: “Then I decided to draw from and on my own imagination, and everything came out perfect.” This is not merely a reflection on art — it is a declaration of freedom. For in these words lies the secret of authenticity: that the truest creations, the purest expressions, are born not from imitation or expectation, but from the deep well of one’s own imagination. When we cease to borrow from others and begin to trust the voice within, we touch the divine spark that dwells in every human soul.

To draw from one’s own imagination is to return to the source of creation itself. The ancients taught that imagination is not fantasy, but the breath of spirit within man — the power by which the unseen becomes seen. To imagine is to participate in creation, to give form to what did not exist before. Yet too often, people fear their own vision; they seek approval, they copy the safe and familiar, they build from the stones that others have already shaped. But Jack Prelutsky, with the clarity of the poet-child, reminds us that when we trust our own inner world, when we create from within rather than without, what we make will be “perfect” — not flawless, but true. For truth in creation is the highest perfection.

The origin of these words lies in the story of Prelutsky’s own awakening as an artist. Before he became one of the most beloved writers of children’s poetry, he wandered through other paths — musician, singer, even factory worker — uncertain of his calling. When he began to write poetry, he first tried to imitate others, to sound like the poets he admired. But the words did not sing; they lay heavy on the page, lifeless and unsure. Only when he stopped reaching outward and began to reach inward — when he wrote with the joy, humor, and curiosity of his own heart — did his art come alive. He discovered that imagination, when unchained from expectation, produces miracles. His poems began to dance, to laugh, to sparkle — and the world, hearing them, laughed and sparkled too.

So it is with all who create, whether in words, music, craft, or the quiet artistry of living. Consider Vincent van Gogh, whose paintings were once scorned by the world. He did not paint what others wished to see; he painted what he felt — the fire of the sun, the pulse of the stars, the trembling beauty of the fields. His imagination was not an escape, but an encounter with truth. Though rejected in his time, his works have since been recognized as pure revelations of the human spirit. Like Prelutsky, he dared to draw from his own imagination, and though his life was marked by hardship, his art became immortal.

To rely upon one’s imagination is to have faith in the unseen — to believe that the world within you holds treasures no one else can uncover. It demands courage, for the mind often doubts what it cannot measure, and the world often mocks what it cannot understand. Yet every prophet, poet, and inventor has walked this same path. Albert Einstein once said that imagination is more important than knowledge — for knowledge tells us what is, but imagination reveals what can be. To imagine is to step beyond the known world and to trust that, even in uncertainty, one’s inner light will guide the way.

When Prelutsky says that “everything came out perfect,” he does not mean that every line was flawless, nor that every reader would approve. He means that creation, when born from sincerity, carries its own perfection — the harmony between heart and act. What is made from the soul speaks directly to the souls of others. This is the perfection of authenticity, not of precision. The artist who creates honestly, the teacher who teaches from love, the worker who labors with joy — all achieve this same perfection. For in those moments, they are aligned with their imagination, their divine purpose, and their truth.

So, my child, take this teaching as your own: do not be afraid to draw from your imagination. It is your inheritance, the flame given to you by the Creator. Use it not only in art, but in all things — in how you speak, how you dream, how you live. When the world demands imitation, offer originality. When others doubt, keep faith in your inner vision. Feed your imagination with beauty, silence, and curiosity, and it will nourish your life in return.

And remember this: perfection is not something you chase; it is what emerges when you create from the fullness of your being. As Jack Prelutsky discovered, the moment you trust your imagination, the world begins to sing in harmony with it. What you make will bear your light, and that light, once released, will never fade. For the imagination is eternal — and to draw from it is to draw from the very heart of creation itself.