When Poetry’s More Than I Mean

I often think “out loud” by writing poetry. It’s dangerous. Poetry conveys a finish, a finality I may not really possess. I lay awake this morning, thinking about how poetry gets me in trouble. Here are some analogies:

1. Writing poetry is like trying on hiking boots at REI. Adjusting and tying the laces doesn’t mean “these are mine.”

2. Writing poetry can be like singing in an operatic style “So very good to meet you!” when someone introduces themself. Weird!

3. Writing poetry can be like flourishing a gun when all you mean to say is, “No thanks. I’ll not be buying your Girl Scout cookies today.”

–Brad Hepp 4/12/2023