Would-be artists complain of not having a studio where they can write
“I need a quit place to type,” they say
but when that place arrives
they are bored and uninspired.
They conclude they aren’t writers and the gift of genius wasn’t given to them.
My parents told me
“You won’t make any money from your writing.”
and my best friend told me
“It’s nice to have a blog where you can record your feelings.”
and his sister told me
“You’re more likely to get sued than to get published.”
and his dad told me
“If you keep writing, you’re apt to lose your job.”
If you do something out of the ordinary
everyone you know will discourage you,
and as I fail, year after year, they lose faith in me
while my faith grows, considerably.
They give me criticism
but they’ve never tried the way I have tried.
If they haven’t done what I’ve done
what authority do they have in my life?
Still, I listen to them
because I believe a wise man listens.
I doubt myself and I think I’m crazy
but I wouldn’t want to be any other way.
Knowing when to listen
and when to stop
is wisdom (I think).
If I follow my own path
I am totally responsible for where I go,
and this is the beginning of freedom
to say “no” to fear.
Poetry King 