When I tell people I write poetry,

They laugh at me..

Tell me that i'm gay,

Even though i'm straight

They try to smash my confidence like a soda can,

I was raised to be a man, and i'm half the man they will be,

Or should be,

Or could be

I have the courage to write poetry,

It takes courage to write poetry,

To put your heart on your sleeve,

For everyone to see,

Write about your feelings,

And by the end of my poems I want people to say they feel me,

For poets the sky is the limit, while everyone else is under a ceiling

You feel me? ..

I have the courage to write about stories that were never meant to be told,

The courage to share secrets that were never meant to be told,

Because with that pen in my hand I feel bold,

When that pen is clinched and the tip spills ink its like i've been possessed and lost my soul

With that pen in my hand I lose control.

But it feels good,

It feels right,

I have the courage to speak, clear and free my mind,

Poetry gives me light on days the sun does not shine

Courage is what gives poetry life, without it these words would die,

Like a human without a heart beat, backbone, or spine

So with that said i'm not a pussy, who writes about his feelings,

Although I do write about how I feel, that doesn't give me the title "pussy"

That makes me a man,

Only a man would have the courage to admit his rights, his wrongs, and his flaws

Only a man would have the courage to admit his deepest and darkest fears,

Only a man would pour his peers a glass of his thoughts to drink,

So they can get a taste of how he really thinks..

Only a man..

Writing poetry, Being a poet is similar to many professions,

A poet's like a stripper,

A stripper takes off her clothes, works a pole, and goes through motions

While a poet like myself strips off his pride and reveals his deepest thoughts and emotions

A stripper has the courage to stand on stage,

Infront of dozens of men willing to pay

As she strips and dances each move filled with shame,

I write words on pages,

Each syllable placed in between the lines trapped like birds in cages,

Courage has no limits,

The only limits you have are those you place on yourself..

As a poet you need to be limitless,

Writing a poem you need determination and say "I need to finish this"

And when you finish a poem, you'll feel accomplished

You'll share it with your friends and family,

Or maybe complete strangers, writing poetry is contagious

But also courageous..