Poet-Hood Poem by john tiong chunghoo

strip yourself naked,
look at your fine contours
and look for what you like and dont
giving no ground for self flagellation
pride or to wedge themselves in
giving yourself a rawness of yourself
so that you feel yourself another person
to yourself, so that you could even talk to him
like another person, like you know how to please
him, make him cry, laugh, love and hate you
now read through the lines that you have written
can you relate to them like the naked person
you have encountered in front of the mirror
without fear or favour so that the lines talk to you
like another person; so that you know whether it is lying
or speaking the truth, so that you can shut him out when required
until you can do that, you have not reached poet-hood