On Writing

I like to think myself as a writer. Perhaps I’m not a great writer, but nevertheless I am a writer. In real life I am a Social Worker. I am a Social Worker and a social thinker, but in my heart I am a writer. So many tragedies occur in this world and I want to write about all of them, but I can’t. I haven’t the time or the knowledge to write coherently on all the happenings on this planet. If I were a full time writer and had nothing else to do, I could research and write articulately about such matters as global warming, Iraqi politics, child abuse, and other topics which plague our world. However, it’s not to be. I am growing older by the minute and soon I will be only a grain of sand on a huge beach of history.

Not only am I a writer of really bad fiction, but I am also a writer of really mediocre poetry. A poet has an advantage I think when writing about the world. A poet can be subjective without injuring anyone in the process. Unlike Imus, Mel Gibson, and Michael Richards, poets don’t spew their hidden racial preferences. Instead, poets in general ask why. Poets and social thinkers try to figure out why such anger exists in this world. They paint a picture of anger with their words; they paint a picture of all the sadness they see within their world. I guess you might say they are the unofficial watchers of the world. Of course, they cannot dictate what happens outside of their niche, but they can poeticize what the see and feel. Neat, huh?

Poets can write about anything they want, with or without a god, with or without someone’s approval. They can write a poem without a college degree, high school degree, or a degree in Karate. A poet unto himself is a free spirit unencumbered by social standards, social control, or any sort of social barrier. Poets are the spokespersons for humankind. Of course, we can’t all be like Maya Angelou or Robert Bly; to try would be sacrilegious. I’ll settle for Stan Grimes. What choice is there? I must write about my view of the world. I trust my view. Right now my view of the world is a bleak one, but tomorrow brings a new sky, a new rainbow for poets and writers.

You might say to yourself, “I’m not a poet.” I counter that statement with a question, “Can you think?” If you can think beyond what’s for dinner, you can write a poem. Dig down into your brain garden and find something to say. It’s there. Put on some of your favorite music and think about some of your favorite things, and write my friends. Write.