Poetry Choose Me Stalked Me Refused To Let Me Be Poem by Terence George Craddock

I had very little say in decision to write poetry
poetry choose me stalked me refused to let me be
silent first time in schoolroom large at primary
first feeling first thrill first words strange slowly
writing themselves into mind words drip slowly
a few words to become a few lines a short story
in recollection a story rebirth a first poem poetry
a few years later a poem about blindness won first

prize a large panda poster still later at primary school
later again at high school a few words scattered visited
a few poems written a few times one really good none kept
a few years later serious stalking poetry stalked night
after night word by word refused to leave let me sleep
poetry in insomnia forced awake writing a few first lines

before allowing sleep forced first poems poetry was
staking out its territory marking its claim unknown to me
poetry had indelibly left its mark poetry had claimed me
staked a claim claimed my life poetry would let me go busy
too busy working for weeks months a few years but poetry
was never going to leave poetry had a poet on a long lease

poetry would return as poetry
chose any time night day unexpectedly
poetry would return with a vengeance
demand a few words a half dozen lines
a poem a dozen poems to time refine
a poet can walk a poet can run but a poet

sealed in poetry can never leave out run poetry
poetry rules will demand at times a few at times
an endless flood of poems poetry flows in seasonal
river changes river may from time to time run dry
but poetry the river has never permanent run dry
what if anything of worth was written what quality?

'Snowpowder', 'Word', 'State Of 20th Century Man',
'Bubbling Brock', 'Fleeting Thought', 'Ode To The Poet',
''of reflections'', 'Visions From A Dream State',
'Beauty Revealed', Perspective Stand,
'The Secret Of The Grail', 'Etching In Glass',
'Not Today', 'The Garden Party', 'Tribute', 'Ad Astra'

strange to have no transitory learning period
poems in lines in mind spring forth onto page
strange subconscious unsought words lines
seem more vibrant display more quality merit
than deliberate conscious effort decision to writ
not made poetry writ pleasant peaceful experiences


Terence George Craddock (Afterglows Echoes Of Starlight)
Copyright © Terence George Craddock