We Call It Poetry

An old one on the observation of poets.

Poetry as a haven for the voiceless

With poetry--

A lonely woman 
can write about her lover 
on valentine's day. 
She can describe his most endearing traits 
line upon line upon line--
                               as if...he existed.

A young girl 
can share her deepest erotic thoughts, 
demonstrating an ability 
to take the reader's hand
and guide them with her words,
leaving them satiated--
but only 
if she's skilled enough.

For those depressed 
and those searching 
to release their pain--
It's a bloodletting.

They've been raped,
they've been bullied,
ignored and even wounded. 
The dark side held them too long.

They need you to listen 
or simply just notice they're alive. 
They may wonder if writing 
is all a fruitless endeavor
when their written cries for help
go unnoticed.

But behind poetry's walls...

A man can offer us a character, 
from a fictitious town
that resembles trees, sidewalks, 
roads and even paths 
of his own treasured youth. 

An adolescent can share a broken heart 
with a seemingly invisible world. 
He/she can release all the angst, 
tear by tear, 
until the poem has ended--
         for now. 

Poetry is a haven 
for ideas, rants, memories or thoughts 
that otherwise would go unheard by most.
The family simply wouldn't understand.  

It is a platform 
for those skilled or unskilled; 
for those confident 
and those apprehensive; 
for those that standout 
and those whose computer 
is their only escape. 

Some here,
have painstakingly learned 
poetry has its elements: 
meter, rhyme, metaphor, and more.
As for others, 
form, cadence, line breaks... 
are all unimportant.

The prolific and the obscene;
those with morals 
and those without;
religious; atheists...
they're all involved.

People have left poetry 
for greener pastures, 
only to re-emerge 
days, weeks, or even years later
when the writer needed another ear 
to listen to all he/she wanted to say.

It is a source of frustration, 
joy and confusion, 
all mentioned into one place.

It is your yesteryear, your today, 
and all your tomorrows. 

It's a percentage of your life, 
your time and your thoughts. 
It consists of creation
and destruction.

It's a statement; it's a confession.
It's a voice that understands;
It's a disciplinarian that doesn't.
It's a welcome sign.
It's a keep out sign.
It's a microcosm of continents 
and far off cultures.
It's a ghost from the past.
It's a community.
It's a small town.
It's a lyrical lagoon.

It's you...it's me...it's us
sailing within
our own private harbor.

And we call it

POETRY.

Author's Note

.

Reviews

[Woody]

brilliant depiction of WC and its "patrons". as I was reading along, I caught myself nodding in ascent cos you really hit it on the head, Relic.
I find WC a wonderful place to spend time and learn and, maybe, bring something with you for all to see.
good one, Relic.

[Relic]

Thanks so much for the review Woody

[Falling Leaf.]

I've been on this site for years. Sometimes I loathe it. Sometimes I adore it. All depends on the people you surround yourself with. I like that you point out that even unskilled people can make themselves feel at home here on Writers Cafe. I admit, I have been off and on, people irritate me and I shut it down, then I reopen up shop months or even a year later. We have a love/hate relationship with this place. Thanks for sharing the write.

[Relic]

We poets are a touchy bunch aren't we? I should get an award for the number of times I've close my account. :) Thanks.

[Falling Leaf.]

No trouble at all.

[wordman]

and they call this stuff poetry,some for the heart,some for the soul,and some for people where even angels fear to go.death and destruction fear and pain but a sweet poem can even stop the rain

[Relic]

Well said Wordman, thanks.

[wordman]

you are welcome

[Kasey Miriam]

Absolutly perfectly true. Thank you for sharing this.

[Relic]

Thanks for reading it.

[Kasey Miriam]

you are very welcome

[just Penny]

I think that just about says it all. You have captured all the scenarios perfectly and created a fine piece of poetry from it too. Being new to this site, it was a great induction and orientation for me. We all have our reasons for writing. Loved this :)

[Relic]

I'm glad you found it pleasing Penny, it took a bunch of revisions and lots of observation. :)

[just Penny]

hmmm...I think I can learn from you... :)

[Relic]

Possibly...maybe...I guess...I don't know. :D

[Ghost of Jupiter]

Wow, so this is why I was never able to leave for too long, what a brilliant piece that strikes the heart. Yes this site is a haven for many, I adore how you spelled that out for us with each psyche expressed... This is abounding with such prolific insight, it is staggering...

[Relic]

I appreciate your thoughts K, Thanks.

[Angela L Garratt]

You have no idea how thankful I am that I found this place. I have been writing now for a while. I have a book published and I delve into my stories and poetry so much sometimes that I forget my imagination is not the real world. If it weren't for my characters I think I would feel quite lonely sometimes. That is why I am really happy that writers cafe exists. Writers need other writers, to share our work with and to communicate our experiences involving those works are priceless. No one understands why a writer writes like another writer...WC is a wonderful place and I don't think I could leave it if I wanted to.

[Relic]

I myself have struggled with leaving the cafe but have learned to get along with it. Its a great place to share ideas and meet people from all over the world. Glad you liked this, thanks.

[J. Kell]

This was very nice Relic, wc is a special place. I am glad we can learn from others here and have a creative outlet. It's a blessing to me.

[Relic]

Thanks Justin. The WC is the Twilight Zone to me. You can't leave it. Ever! Haha.

[Cryingkate]

LMBO ...............Hilariously true

[Relic]

_____________:)

[...]

:) a soup for the soul...

[Relic]

My thanks Lynn.

[Trace]

Here Here,,,,,,,,,, Well done my friend.

Trace

[Relic]

Thank you very much Trace.

[Lyn Anderson]

I totally dug this. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of thought went into this. Also, I ran through it and couldn't pick up one typo, which is saying a lot as I am a fuss budget. I wasn't sure about the punctuation in the as if line, but I think it seems intentional. Bravo. Very nifty piece.

[Relic]

Thanks very much KL. This has been revised many times. Yeah, it's possible that comma shouldn't be there. Don't know. Thanks for mentioning it though.

[Lyn Anderson]

At least you know I actually read it lol

[Relic]

haha, yes, I can see you did.

[Cryingkate]

Excuse me.. hmmhmm KLGoode? I see
you running around eating up grammar, and punctuation errors.
If you ever really get hungry ,come on over to my place and you can eat a smorgasbord full. And then if you eat too much at my fun play ones and not my serious work.,, well I might bark and bite you
If you eat at my serious ones I will Thank you and somehow try to repay you :-)
Oh warning.. watch out for Red Tide day.. just a warning :-)