On writing...

On Having a Poem

Having a poem is like having a child.

Although, there is indeed, less pain--

you don’t often know what you’re going to get.

It could be a temperamental child. 

You hope to God it’s not a child gone wild.

Like a child, an infant poem

you can caress, perhaps even digress to

pamper it and pull it around in a wagon, of sorts.

You can bandy it about.

You can comb its long hair.

You can dress it up

and you can take it everywhere.

Having a poem is like

diving into a waterfall--

you don’t exactly know where you will end up.

Having a poem is like

being lost at night.

“Blink-blink,” there is a light

somewhere off in the distance…

You hope you can

catch up to it

and make it out.

Having a poem is like having a shiny, new penny.

You can finger it

and turn it ’round and ’round in your hand, some.

Then you can (hopefully) turn it over to a friend.

A poem is like a token.

Slip it in the slot

and just get on the train!

It might be a fast track or a long, slow ride.

Having a poem

is like (and unlike) having a child…

When it becomes a toddler and it

wanders off, alone, on its shaky legs,

don’t worry...

you can just let go of its hand.

© Karen Powell