why the poet writes poems

Possibility I

me right poems cause me dont spell good, enouf, too rite novels an me grammars atroshish.

me right poems cause me red somewheres never trouble trouble.

me writing poems cause me still trying to impress highschool English teacher, Miss Behrman.

he writes poems cause they reconnect him to the blood.

…so he can keep death at a puncher’s distance.

…because he was one of Woodstock’s “½ million strong” and still lights peace n love candles.

…because poems maintain this precious involuntary heartbeat song.

…because sometimes his mask slips ever so slightly revealing hideous scars.

…because this is his way of not participating in the profiting from others’ sweat.

Possibility II

I write poems because it is sometimes helpful to rev up the internal dialogue.

I write poems everytime I want to hug you.

…so I can heave praise at other hopeless romantics.

…to get a whiff of my karma, should there somehow still be a chance to mend it.

I write poems because years ago we stood outside churches holding candles praying for peace and got spit at.

I write poems because the holy bardic triumvirate: Dylan, Cohen, and Simon are significantly there looking over my right shoulder.

I write poems because I grew up in Paterson (with 1 “t”).

… in homage to goat’s milk and sardines, as they nurtured and saved me when I was an infant.

…or because I’m a disembodied artist searching for a soul?

Possibility III

I write poems to mend this constant imperfect heart which mostly has a vacancy, and I have been told vacancies potentially may be filled by the breath of the muse…. absence, vacancy—is the precondition for creativity.

I write these poems because I have talked and danced my way out of addiction, prison, and

…because cancer didn’t get me, and

…because I’m still convinced I’m immortal.

I write poems because my Leo sun and Sagittarian Jupiter trine, and

…because I have hitchhiked and driven back and forth across America and talked through the night with countless strangers

I certainly write poems because I participated in the miracle of the birth of my son.

Possibility IV

I write poems as I look forward to that good hard rain that’s gonna fall.

I write poems to trap and then mull over any protean, elastic moment that may eventually stretch out my mind, thus entrapping fading memories into possible brilliant erudite corners.

I write poems, tossing my cards, my soul, into Gilgul, the cosmic wheel of life force giving energy!

My poems are written since I am interested in exploring the multiverse, where categories of rational and irrational and nonrational become obliterated, and instead allow solitary access to those dimensions previously unexplored.

In essence, I/me/he/she/we write poems since all of us are constantly reminded that this world’s life is worth the effort it takes to breathe in and out, and…again…earnestly siphoning, so please, just one more poem…