Not All Poems Write Themselves
written by: Mark Tulin
I work alone in a cave,
etching verse on stone walls.
I channel my thoughts
into a movement of lines
and the rhythm of the world.
Not all poems write themselves
or know what to say in the first draft.
I often stray from my original plan
and wait for the next day
to weed out the chaff.
Not all poems are the same.
Some fall like tears,
shout like a madman,
soar like a kite,
and sing like a balladeer.
I find them in the sand,
pages of a magazine,
during afternoon naps,
or anywhere else
my inspiration takes me.
I’m willing to explore
the darkness without a light,
the brightness without shade,
or set off on a journey
without a compass.
Not all poems write themselves,
some are framed before they’re dry.
But if I don’t overthink or try too hard,
the poem will have my blood
flowing through its lines.
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