fuck a poet

i used to write out of some grim necessity
like poetry was my clot to stop the bleeding
as if in pouring into pens my experiences
and insignificant insecurities
would tie off some cosmic knot
and stop life from being so very mean to me sometimes
like bitching in retrospect was the sum total of my assertion to artistry
as if there isn't enough ex girlfriend poetry in the world already
or angsty, self-righteous calls to the indignity of american culture
delivered by some loudmouthed ass who can sure call out the bad points
but doesn't know step one in the direction of good
this is not another interview poem
this is a poem protesting poetry
presented like a picket sign held proudly front row centre at the venue reading
"fuck a poet"
for trying so badly to be what the crowd wants
trying to make sure you model your inflection best fitted for whatever demographic might be in front of you at that moment
poetic marketing, some make the stage a board room table
microphones a power point presentation of possible ploys to parley
pursuint to pushing puffed up plagerisms of personal proclivities and perspectives too pussy to please passing pedestrians purely off the proof of their own personage
and especially those who abuse alliteration
for thinking that revolution starts behind a microphone
when this isn't even the wick to spark fire on
the streets are the canvas on which to paint change
so if you really want to see those so-called egalitarian laws you keep spouting off about so much actually put in place
march to the white house, not to the stage
after a while, it's just fucking boring
for poets who think that angry scowls are the best gameface to approach a person with
like being intelligent and well-spoken are excuses to act like an asshole to those you don't know
or thinking you get to pick who in the crowd most appreciates your words
fuck a poet
for taking themselves so seriously they even start to hear their own words as truth
fuck a poet
for treating crowds like they owe poets shit
don't get pissed if you can't garner enough attention
that should tell you something about the performance
not the participants
fuck a poet
for assuming word placement alone marks you above anyone else
most of the poets i know can't accomplish shit else but poetry
so where the hell did we develop these collossus egoes from?
thinking we stand above the rest of civilization like some literary gods of man
and with each resounding breath we can change the flow of life itself
and reset the spinning of the earth to a more pleasing pitch
when most of us can't balance our checkbooks, significant others, jobs, bills, performance schedules and family affairs
without twisting completely out of focus
but finally, and most importantly
fuck a poet for simply being a poet
for being underappreciated and underpaid
misunderstood but very well stated
third string entertainers with first rate presentation
broke from day one but never trying to get fixed
existing if only through persistence
linguists and wordsmiths
hammering verses into the minds of a generation
pounding out the heartbeat of an entire generation
and very rarely getting that simple and very much needed honest
Thank You
so instead, poets, i offer a fuck you
but only because i love you