From Writer To Poet... Poem by Denis Martindale

There are times when we are just acting as writers do
Without any thoughts of rhymes that please
And yet suddenly recognise something poetic is happening.
We immediately wake up to the extra possibilities
Of the phrasing of text and new words added here and there.
Even to the ways that we could split up a paragraph
Into what looks like the lines of a poem.
Somehow the finished result is recognised for what it is,
A poem rather than a paragraph.

When finally editing the piece, we may get a printout
And think of changing the font and the text size.
A second printout may look so good it deserves more…
Such that we may want to frame it and put it on display.
So it is that a writer chooses to switch
Into the eloquent way a poet thinks and acts.
And who knows, God willing, what blessings may follow?
Maybe that poem will get published one day…
Based on merit and merit alone…


Denis Martindale December 2019.