The Thrill of Life Dedicated to Poetry and Writing in General

I began writing poetry as a teenager. I will never forget the thrill I felt the first time someone in the know told my I was good at writing poetry. My English teacher in freshman year, Mr. Coletta, loved my poetry and even sent one off to be published in a textbook. I can't remember the details, too many dead brain cells since then, and I didn't realize at that time that it might be important later down the road. You see, I wrote that sappy kind of love poetry, the purple prose of the adolescent. But it got me writing and that was what was important.

Now, at 57 years of age I have decided that it's time to make poetry my number one focus, although I will continue to blog professionally several times a week. I have never stopped writing, and have had many poems published both online and in print, but I never really said to myself, "Poetry is my career. I AM a poet." Things are different now. I was motivated toward this decision when my chapbook made the first cut in the first poetry contest I entered. I will find out tomorrow if I made the second cut in the Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook prize competition. I don't expect to, but in the back of my mind I know it's a possibility.

Either way, poetry is now "what I do" when someone asks, and "a poet" is who I am. As well as a blogger, I will always be one of those too. I was watching MIDNIGHT IN PARIS a few nights ago, for the first time, great movie, and Ernest Hemingway told Luke Wilson's character, "You have to say you are the best writer." I have to claim my spot in the world as a poet or how can anyone else claim me as such?

I started this blog to journal my journey, to share helpful info with other poets, and to propel poets and writers in general into living their dreams. This life is a beautiful one and I couldn't be more thrilled.