To what degree am i a poet

To what degree am I a Poet?Must I have a PHD in English Literature and be well versed in late English poets?Surely, I am no poet then.Should I cross "i"s and dot "t"s only after being instructed on the right way of doing things?Does this make my words heavier- the syntax of it all?Is this even a poem?Should i write less, out of fear of judgementand shy away from what moves me out of modesty?Can i even afford to be modest?When i am beaten down by standard authorized demolitionshould i stay grounded? Should i become rubble?If i float away unachored will they let me be free, wrong as red ink?If i play by their rules, then and only then, am I allowed to be great?

Reviews

[Willard Wells]

Greatness is within you and all of us and no one needs to be approved to be great. My take on poetry is that large portion of the great poets in our history were not highly educated. A poet for me is someone that writes words that invokes emotions and thoughts of the readers and as you can tell from my words you have done that here dear poet. Well Done.

[harlem_knight]

thank you! i struggle with this concept myself honestly and i appreciate your kind words!

[Willard Wells]

We all struggle and when a new piece is not read it causes more pain. The final view of any piece is how you feel about it and if it expresses your feelings. Everything beyond that is gravy. Peace out my friend.

[fierceauthor]

May you know you are your art if your heart is there.

[softlyfall]

As a matter of fact, sometimes errors cause the reader to pause, or even confuse them. So yes, editing your syntax and grammar and punctuation DO lend a greater power to your words. This does not mean you reduce yourself to fear. fear is never constructive on any level except when there is a danger to life and the amygdala needs to respond with fight or flight adrenaline. It does mean that rather than being defensive, be grateful for the corrections. Courtesy can be both an ally and even a weapon, if the person advising you means you harm or disrespect... the "walk softly and carry a big stick" approach, but in this case, your self confident courtesy will disarm any who do not have your best interest at heart. You do not need a degree to be a poet but you do need to be open to learning and accepting help gratefully and gracefully.

[Rachael Lea]

It would be sad if this were the case, to where peoples approvals we would chase. To think we lack the potential after all that we've done, to write of such things and fear to be shunned.
You did a wonderful job and creating more thoughts, at making me feel all tangled in knots. Congrats to you on a wonderful piece, may good thoughts comfort and the negative cease.