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Over the years I have learned to appreciate poetry. It began for me in high school when I had great teachers who gave me the tools to begin to understand what was going on with language and symbolism. I know that poetry is not everybody's favorite. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins used to joke about when the teacher would ask the class what a poem meant after reading it aloud. Most students suddenly found a reason to not make eye contact with the teacher, or maybe to drop their pencil and look down so they would not be called upon to respond.
In college I began to try to write my own poems. I learned that you had to be merciless in editing your own poetry. Over the years, I continued writing poetry simply because I enjoyed trying to express something meaningful in a relatively few words. I have even been fortunate enough to have a few of my poems published in journals. Though you do not make a lot of money writing poetry, it was nice to actually get a check in the mail and see one of my poems in print. Again, I realize that poetry in not for everyone, so if that is true for you, that is okay. But for those who like poetry, here is one of mine from of few years ago that was published. Enjoy!
The View
Eighth floor motel view --
the vastness, the flatness of the land
northeast of Denver
This is openness . . .
To lie spread-eagle
like the land
which stares up at the sky
and God.
No fetal positioning here.
No roly-poly curling up
in an armored, silver ball.
From the moment of your birth,
you are forced open
flat on your back
to face the sky
and God.
How can you look
upon the face of God
and live?
Only, on your back.
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