How Do I Write Poems! ? Poem by Denis Martindale

How do I sit down on a chair?
Gosh, how do I write stuff?
Perhaps to hold a pen right there?
That's good, but not enough!
Make coffee just to keep awake?
Some biscuits would be nice...
Eventually to take a break,
Or would that be unwise?

Then think, think, think! Just concentrate!
Just let the poem live...
Just let some phrases fascinate,
Give all that I can give!
Surprise my readers later on,
If God grants me His aid,
When inspiration's light has shone
And that new poem's made...

But then the editing begins!
To punctuate and plan,
To fix those little niggly sins
When every line I scan...
To read a dozen times or more,
To improvise anew...
There's just some things I can't ignore,
When God gives me some clue!

So on it goes! A masterpiece!
My word, did we do that?
I started scared, yet now have peace...
And only three days flat!
But next time, I'll know what to do,
I'll speed up in good time,
As long as God helps get me through,
I'll do much more than rhyme!


Denis Martindale June 2016.