avatarKera Hollow

Summary

The author expresses the internal conflict of being a poet who writes about people they know, while feeling self-conscious about revealing the inspiration behind their work.

Abstract

The author of the website content, who remains anonymous, reflects on the challenges of being a poet, particularly when writing about personal acquaintances. They feel uncomfortable when asked about their poetic subjects, as they often draw inspiration from the people in their life. The author hesitates to disclose this to their subjects, fearing the subjects' reactions and the potential for misunderstanding. The piece conveys the tension between the author's pride in their work and the discomfort of navigating the delicate balance between truth and tact when portraying real individuals in their poetry. The author also expresses a desire to maintain a level of privacy, suggesting that their subjects might not appreciate the raw portrayal in the poetry. Additionally, the author requests support for their debut novel by inviting readers to contribute financially.

Opinions

  • The author feels that disclosing the subjects of their poetry would lead to awkward interactions and potential offense.
  • They believe that people are curious about whether they are depicted in the author's work, but may not be prepared for the honest depiction they might find.
  • The author suggests that their portrayal of individuals in their poetry is not always flattering, as they mention having to lie about negative traits not being included.
  • There is a sense of frustration or weariness in having to explain and justify their creative choices to the people who inspire their work.
  • The author values the integrity of their work and is protective of how their subjects are represented, despite the challenges this poses.
  • They seek support for their larger literary goals, indicating a commitment to their craft beyond the immediate discomfort of personal interactions.

I’d Think Myself a Poet if I wasn’t so Self Conscious

Poetry

Photo by author. A page from my art/poetry journal. These days I’m really into collages.

But I can’t bear it, When they ask me what I possibly do with my existence on this forever-spinning planet, I tell them simply,

I write.

And they ask,

What do you write?

And I can’t bear to tell them,

I write about you.

Because they’ll always ask in shock,

You write about me?!

And that is eventually followed up with

Is that a good thing?

And I’ll have to come up with condensed, non-offensive versions of their fictionalized selves. I have to lie that their negative traits aren’t littered throughout the stanzas. I have to be proud of my work while their eyes glaze over the page, mildly curious but not inspired. I have to fold my hands and pretend they weren’t just used as weapons against their character. So you see, it’s far too much work, And no, You cannot read what I’ve written about you, because simply put my dear, You wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Thank you for reading ^^ Please consider “buying me a coffee” with the link below, it helps support my goal of hiring beta readers for my debut novel.

https://ko-fi.com/kerahollow

The Lark
Poetry
Poem
Writing
Writers On Writing
Recommended from ReadMedium
avatarAndrew Conklin
Years After Seeing Sénanque Abbey

A poem

1 min read
avatarAva
Poem —This door is closed.

An outrage

1 min read
avatarAnila Nisar Syed
Never Ending Battle

The battle will continue till our deaths

3 min read
avatarLev Metropol
Don’t Tell Me About Your Vacation

It was incredible, I know

2 min read
avatarBradley J Nordell
Time’s Debt

The poem to life, it’s myraid of moments, and lost days

1 min read
avatarMichelle Teheux
We Could Learn a Lot About Sex From the Dutch

My Dutch relative’s views shocked me, but I immediately realized she was right

6 min read