What are Poets For?

I have a friend who encourages me in my poetry, but who doesn’t understand why I want my poems to go out into the world. To her, writing them is enough. In some senses that may be true. But not for me. 

I have written poetry since I was in my early teens, and loved words and word play even before that. I always, in my secret heart, called myself a poet. And now, when the world is so close to an edge, I want my poems to be a voice in the world. After all, what is a poet if not one who sounds the warnings and voices the hopes. Not to do so would be to waste the gift. 

The poet is an intermediary between current reality and creation. The poet who is able to show personal vulnerability becomes the expression of Everyone. If the poet’s plea to be heard reaches even a single other soul and makes something better, a miracle is accomplished.

A selfish act? Of course. But then, every effort to reach outside ourselves may be said to be selfish… how else is the self to be seen?