what I mean to say in poetry

you can’t just write for yourself but
you can’t just write for other people either
you gotta write about the things inside you
everyone else feels too but think they are alone
that connection, that confirmation, that salutation
that transmission and admission of shared meaning
that’s what writing is

but remember that meaning isn’t a pre-existing condition
meaning doesn’t exist without your participation
my dad taught me that
it’s real easy to lose yourself in the randomness
it’s real easy to wallow the cruelty of the universe
but all that doesn’t mean that life is meaningless
it just means you have to take what you’ve got
you’ve gotta forge your meaning for yourself
forge that meaning you want to see
forged in the world with your words
you’ll come to find it looks a lot like other peoples’ meaning too
doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be you

the difference between “the greatest” and “good enough” is style points
it’s all no more than gravy, all a form of ego slavery
go do your thing, “perfect” is a goal at best for fun, just get the deed done
coast in on fumes, shamelessly, be passionate imperfect blamelessly
it’s gotta just be what you do to your own self and true

go out there and do good work
great not as important as good and true
touch people with what you’ve got inside you
that’s the same as what they’ve got
sing the song of your soul, get it done then sing another one
forge a salutation each time you face the sun
make things a little better every time you run
that’s it and that’s all, the task and call
that’s all we’re trying to do here
that’s all we could ever hope to do here
that’s all that was ever needed

in your imperfect glory, reach out
because other hands are reaching too
make your meaning and then connect
God knows it’s all we’ve ever needed
God knows we need it even more now

Last updated March 04, 2018