Writing Poems

The first rule in writing poetry is this: 
the poem itself must take the lead
and that takes courage.

It’s the poet, male or female, 
who must learn to listen…
a rule that’s hard to learn.

But once you trust it, 
it leads to amazing success
and to humble thanks.

It is never really about you, 
but the poem itself.

That never should be forgotten,
lest you lose the muse,
improperly called inspiration.

Writing poetry is not a game.
It’s a dedication,

a vocation that is not to be explained,
just daily practiced.
It needs no justification.

Any poems done well
in time 
will take care of that.