We Call It Poetry

An old one on the observation of poets.

With poetry--

A lonely woman 
can write about her lover 
on valentine's day. 
She can describe his most endearing traits 
line upon line upon line--
                               as if...he existed.

A young girl 
can share her deepest erotic thoughts, 
demonstrating an ability 
to take the reader's hand
and guide them with her words,
leaving them satiated--
but only 
if she's skilled enough.

For those depressed 
and those searching 
to release their pain--
It's a bloodletting.

They've been raped,
they've been bullied,
ignored and even wounded. 
The dark side held them too long.

They need you to listen 
or simply just notice they're alive. 
They may wonder if writing 
is all a fruitless endeavor
when their written cries for help
go unnoticed.

But behind poetry's walls...

A man can offer us a character, 
from a fictitious town
that resembles trees, sidewalks, 
roads and even paths 
of his own treasured youth. 

An adolescent can share a broken heart 
with a seemingly invisible world. 
He/she can release all the angst, 
tear by tear, 
until the poem has ended--
         for now. 

Poetry is a haven 
for ideas, rants, memories or thoughts 
that otherwise would go unheard by most.
The family simply wouldn't understand.  

It is a platform 
for those skilled or unskilled; 
for those confident 
and those apprehensive; 
for those that standout 
and those whose computer 
is their only escape. 

Some here,
have painstakingly learned 
poetry has its elements: 
meter, rhyme, metaphor, and more.
As for others, 
form, cadence, line breaks... 
are all unimportant.

The prolific and the obscene;
those with morals 
and those without;
religious; atheists...
they're all involved.

People have left poetry 
for greener pastures, 
only to re-emerge 
days, weeks, or even years later
when the writer needed another ear 
to listen to all he/she wanted to say.

It is a source of frustration, 
joy and confusion, 
all mentioned into one place.

It is your yesteryear, your today, 
and all your tomorrows. 

It's a percentage of your life, 
your time and your thoughts. 
It consists of creation
and destruction.

It's a statement; it's a confession.
It's a voice that understands;
It's a disciplinarian that doesn't.
It's a welcome sign.
It's a keep out sign.
It's a microcosm of continents 
and far off cultures.
It's a ghost from the past.
It's a community.
It's a small town.
It's a lyrical lagoon.

It's you...it's me...it's us
sailing within
our own private harbor.

And we call it

POETRY.

Author's Note

.

Reviews

[Woody]

brilliant depiction of WC and its "patrons". as I was reading along, I caught myself nodding in ascent cos you really hit it on the head, Relic.
I find WC a wonderful place to spend time and learn and, maybe, bring something with you for all to see.
good one, Relic.

[Relic]

Thanks so much for the review Woody

[Caradoc]

Isn't it though?

What an all encompassing piece you've written about the Cafe. I quite enjoyed reading this. Stanzas fourteen and sixteen really spoke to me, as I vanished from the site once, only to return sometime later, my muse suddenly having decided it had something to say. I have seen others come and go. Sometimes it was sadly, sometimes it was often, sometimes it was annoyingly so. I think my favorite stanza though, was eighteen.

I did notice two errors within this piece. I hope you don't mind me pointing them out.

Stanza six; you used "their" instead of "they're".
Stanza sixteen; you used "has" instead of "have".

Aside from those, I found nothing I disliked about this one. It was enjoyable and reading it made my face run the gamut of expressions. Very well done.

-Caradoc

[Relic]

Thank very much and thanks for the review and the corrections, they are always welcome. I've seen many people leave and I still think about some today, wondering where their lives have taken them.

[Caradoc]

Yea, I hear ya. You're very welcome.

Have a good one.

[Epipsychologist]

Excellent poem! I'd be kind of surprised if there were a writer on here who can't find themselves described somewhere above. Maybe not, people are unique. Nonetheless, it's written in a pretty kind if way that explains why people might post some of the things they do.

[Relic]

Thank you for your review.

[Lilly]

Great idea for a poem and you've captured WC well. Not only the cafe though, but also the outlet writing alone is for many
Nice work!

[Relic]

Thanks very much Lilly.

[Lilly]

you're welcome :)

[J. J. Nightingale]

All true ...

Cool ! ..................... Jazzy

[Relic]

Thanks Jazz.

[J. J. Nightingale]

You r welcome ... :).............

[Lydia Shutter]

An anthem for Writer's Cafe! We are all this and more...a community of people sharing and caring and it is all good! I enjoyed this write. Lydi**

[Relic]

Thanks very much Lydi. :)

[Dye]

What a great take on the Cafe' environment. It is spot on and reads perfectly. I have met every type of person you described here and read every style of poem mentioned.

"It is a source of frustration, confirmation,
joy and confusion, all in one place."

It hasn't taken me long to learn this.

[Relic]

Thank you Dye.

[Mia]

I’m feeling slightly blue, the amount of times I’ve thought of people posting their hearts and wishing I knew where to go to find them…just to read just so their heard! It may be all they need to feel comfort, I convinced myself that there is so much I can do and now this…but anyhow that’s mine not yours to bear!
This is incredible, truly…very creative. I’ve seen some ‘WC’ poems and none so far have gone so in depth nor have any seemed so well thought out!

[Relic]

I thank you for such nice words Mia, thank you. We can only do so much here. Eventually, if we all persist, our thoughts will be heard.

[smilempsn]

You have very well captured the essence of WC in your words..

'It's a statement; it's a confession.
It's a voice that understands.
It's a disciplinarian that doesn't.
It's a welcome sign at the door of a friend.
It's a keep out sign at the door of a
former friend.
It's a microcosm of continents and cultures.
It's a ghost from the past.
It's a newbie.
It's a community.
It's a small town.

it's you...it's me...it's us.

It's Writers Cafe.'

Very nicely said... (Y)

[Relic]

I appreciate that, thank you.

[Glen Yumang Manese]

Relic - well thought out in the lines of this verse about WC...I was here and left to join EditRed...I felt I had to choose between the two - 6 years ago...and came back after EditRed shut their doors...a bit different with the sites...in terms of atmosphere...

[Relic]

Thank you Glen. WC is a staple for many here. I've tried other sites with the point systems and simple layouts but didn't find them as appealing. I'm not on as much now but find it to be one of the best sites as far as ease of use, although the same authors making the popular page all the time is disappointing. That's why I venture out to see what else is out there, even if I don't join the site.

[Glen Yumang Manese]

Well...we could all just flood the reading request and do that on a daily basis...if that was taken out of the equation...things would be different...at he Cafe...you have work for it then...

[Yellow Butterfly]

Your creativity has no bounds Relic... your perceptive eye has captured the whole essence of Writers Cafe very well.....

Superb write...

[Relic]

I'm flattered that you would say that. Thanks.