why draw a poem 

out of thin air?

poet, fill your cup

then pour it on paper.

poet, 

what is your job?

poet, 

it isn’t the poem.

poet, 

you are a teacher.

poet, teach us 

how to live,

poet, teach us 

how to grieve.

poet, teach us 

how to give,

and poet, teach us 

to receive.

poet, teach me 

when to stay.

poet, teach me 

when to leave.

poet, please 

teach me to love,

oh, poet,

so much I can’t breathe.

poet, 

focus not 

on the rhyme

nor on the meter.

show us 

how to spend 

our time,

oh, poet—

please,

be our teacher.

if you are failing

oh, poet,

to make something of this life:

tell us.

tell us the truth, 

oh poet,

that we may be free.

poet, your truth 

will set you

and set me

free.

and poet,

if you struggle

to tell the truth,

if you’d sooner hide

than spin your life

into rhyme,

then tell us of this fear.

tell us of your walls,

that you may shine your light

on our own.

i, the poet:

i have nothing to teach you.

i, the poet 

have a critical truth

to tell:

i don’t know what i’m doing.

but in this, i am confident.

i hope you understand.