Poetry isn’t what I do; it’s who I am...

“Poetry isn’t what I do; it’s who I am...”

I find this statement has become increasingly true the more I find out about who I am and where I fit in to the ‘Grand Plan’ of it all. I’m hardly the right person to tell anyone what poetry is and is not, but there are some things I know to be divinely born of heart and sober mind. I don’t believe poetry is an ‘ON/OFF’ switch that u can choose to turn on the inspiration on queue; poetry is not the structure of the writing, or even how it is delivered across and received by others. It is not a tool one uses to get what they want from, to impress others, to intentionally oppress or put down another individual. It is not a weapon. It is not the witty rhymes one writes only to get attention or woo another, not that there’s anything wrong with wooing with poetry, I’ve done that too, but if that is your only reason for writing poetry then...you’re not really a poet. You are an imposter, an imposter with the “look” and feel of a poet, but with none of the true heart and substance that goes with the ‘title’. Poetry is the world in words, looked at from your view at that time, born of heart and inspiration that seems to overwhelm the writer as it hits them like half a brick slamming at the temple.
Poetry is growth and self-discovery. Its pain, excitement, peace, love, anger, anticipation, fore/after-thought, fear, faith, strength and joy trapped in text and verbal coding attempting to decipher for the human condition. It doesn’t even have to contain conventional sentences, diction, or even words at all.

“Poetry isn’t what I do; it’s who I am...”
It’s how I speak, relate, and communicate with the world.
Poetry isn’t just ‘now’ or ‘then’ or ‘whenever’. Poetry is, and it will never be again – like a desert rose.
Poetry is not a special hat or beads or style of dress. Poetry is not a trend.
Poetry is...
Poetry is a way of life, a culture... poetry is more, so much more than you can hope to ever scribble down or trot over during a random group ‘word pass’ or ‘Jam Session’. Poetry is life. Poetry is more...but you still try to write it – that’s what makes you a blessing unto those that care to hear you out; that’s what makes you an inspiration, a messenger...a poet.



This is not at all everything that poetry is. Poetry is what it is because of how within it we are free to be ourselves; and that's the point, poetry is about being true to you - screw what everybody else thinks or says. Poetry is my Life, my Voice, my Family, my Friends. Poetry is truth ~ as i see it.