Why do Poets Write Poetry?Why Write Poetry?I can only speak for myself, but I'm sure other poets would understand. A friend once asked me why I write poetry. Judging by the pinched look on her face, she might as well have been asking why I juggle poisonous snakes, or worse, why I braid germy fly swatters … well maybe the look wasn't quite that bad, but when she asked the question, she definitely had the look of someone who was, at the very least, sucking on lemons.While I’m convinced it’s not a disease, it just might be an addiction … and an addiction with no twelve-step program for recovery (thank God). But based on her surprising question, I found I had to ask myself, why do I write poetry? I mean other than the obvious, which is that I enjoy writing poetry, and if that’s an addiction, well profound as it is, then I enjoy my addiction. In fact, I actually revel in it, scribbling thoughts and ideas wherever I am, on whatever I can find to write on, with complete and total abandon. But to be fair and honest, I should have told my friend that to hold back a poem is like trying to hold in a sneeze. When you finally allow it to come out, it just feels good. Again, other poets would probably understand what I mean. To my friend, I simply said there are things inside that I must get out. They’re uncomfortable staying where they are. Another way to state it is, it’s like having a mosquito bite that you can’t quite reach. When you finally find someone who will scratch it for you, it just feels good. So I’ve decided I’ll live with my addiction, no matter what friends think. But geez oh man, I’ve got to make this short ... I feel a poetic sneeze coming on and it’s gonna feel so good when I finally let it out ...
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