You have to be tough to be a poet
and since we mostly read to other poets,
I suspect that you may already know it
what it’s like to place your full heart here
to offer it wholly in spite of your fear
or whatever your particular art
you know this feeling of taking part
of your innermost self
and placing it upon a public shelf
it’s sometimes so very very hard
but it’s just what the heart does you see
when it bursts with joy into reality
intent on connecting you and me

but i will admit to you in all seriousness
that at times i am brought suddenly to tears
by the sheer miracle of our existence
the absolute thrill of being alive
have you felt such gratitude leap in your heart?
have you been overpowered by your spirit?
yes that is what i came to celebrate
it’s the reason i showed up to communicate
the absolute bliss of being fully alive
nowhere to be, nowhere to arrive

yet still, to admit it fully into this room
to share my heart like a tender bloom
is sometimes so very very hard
you have to be tough to be a poet

©John Greenleaf-Maple 2/15/2017