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Can you be a poet
if you haven't
published a poem?
Can you be a painter
if you haven't
sold a painting?
Publisher says no!
Gallery owner says no!
But I have eyes
to see
and a mouth
to speak
and words
and images
in my head
and heart
a poem
a painting
my body my blood
my beauty my being
I say yes
and yes
chorus of boos.
Chorus of boos? No way! I say ... HOOOORAY!
ReplyDeleteIf we had a world where everyone wrote poetry -- where everyone was a poet -- not in order to be published -- but for the pure thrill of it -- for the pure challenge of it -- that would be a better world -- more sensitive and more sentient -- more articulate and more forgiving.
(The only poems I ever published were in "The Canadian Jewish News".)
Maybe we are all poets, and some just don’t know it, or resist it (for reasons like poets are flakes, poetry is confusing, elitist and for snobs etc.) I often think of Moses response to Aaron and Miriam telling him that there were false prophets preaching against him. Rather than punishing them he says “Were it that all Israel were prophets.” I love that.
DeleteYou can't beat Moshe Rabbeinu when it comes to saying the right thing at the right time!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the entire parsha of Haazinu is a poem by Moses!