What Is Poetry? Poem by Matthew Holloway

Poetry what is it
what makes a poem a poem
what makes a hit and miss
what touches the soul and heart
the is no rightful answer
those poetic greats
Shakespeare, Byron, Shelley
Keats, Plath, Bukowski
Bob Dylan
Muhammad Ali
The profit from the local deli
the letters of Van Gough
the literary and artistic works
of Beatles and Stones
all of which is an art
and all of art a form
here my friend is poetry
the undefined beauty
that touches every soul
in varying ways
so what is it, how do we own it
in truth ownership is a delusion
a fragmented ideal
of someone destined to be an idiot
for me perhaps others as well
a poem should flow like a river
free without constraint
or man made rules
like an honest conversation
let it speak, let it be
poetry is an art, and art an elixir
the sweetest fruit known
poetry is as such
if it touches you in thought
in spirit and in life
it is for you
if it doesn't
then it is not for you
a song, painting, book, verse
a poem
what is it and what makes it
the answer lies not in ant page
or the words of a scholar
what is is and all it shall be
lies in you
poetry is poetry