Every experienced, published writer looks back at the early years, sighs, and tries to look earnestly at the latest wide-eyed interviewer before divulging what crap poetry they used to write. Crap, crap, drivel, embarrassing really. It’s a miracle they kept writing, that they eventually found success.
I am suspicious. This is suspect. Think about the sheer numbers. Every writer now comfy with a book deal and online presence blathers on and on about the dreadful, shockingly bad poems of their early years. Seriously? I would very much like to meet a writer, successful now, who’ll look me straight in the eye and declare that decades ago after finishing a draft they sat back in their chair and shouted out loud: I! AM! A FUCKING POET!
That’s the kind of people I want to hang out with in a writer’s group.
Kathy Boles-Turner 
robert okaji
I may not be successful (can’t figure out what that entails), and I didn’t shout, as I was at work (yeah, yeah, writing a poem. Bad Bob!), but about fifteen years ago, after drafting a poem I actually did email my wife to say “I really AM a poet.” Ha! I still like that poem. A bunch of others from that time suck, but this particular poem still works.
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Kathy Boles-Turner
As I was writing this, I just knew you’d be one of the few and the brave! 🙂
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robert okaji
I am nothing if not persistent!
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jessicahalseywrites
Shouting keeps me sane.
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Kathy Boles-Turner
Shout it because you are a fucking poet!!
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