1.

poetry.  found. me.

when it (my heart) was dark.

when I was scared. when I was alone.

it (poetry) grabbed me as I jumped.

held on tight. refused to let go.

me dead weight.

poetry – infinitely strong

grabbed me like the gospel

does Christians.

talked me off a ledge.

placed paper and a crippled

pencil in my hand – said go.

write it all down.

when I fought hard , even refused

poetry struck a nerve.

reminded me of pain

abuse

scorn

torment

violent speech and

like sulfur and tar

excited a reflex.

made me purge and vomit

the words onto paper

and deaf ears.

said see now, that’s all better

I rocked violently and

poetry let me be –

said shhh, there there.

2.

poetry.

called me again to do

what the ancestors

instructed me to do.

said I must tell my story.

who will listen?

said I must tell their story.

it’s already been told.

said I must tell our stories.

I couldn’t argue.

but, I’m tired.

no, you’re selfish.

be restless and go forth.

if you don’t tell it

our story will be twisted

misconstrued and misused.

where do I begin?

where you left off.

I began to save lives,

like mine was saved

by poetry.

3.

poetry / is / like / water

poured itself into my heart

spilled a little on my shirt

for everyone to notice

quenched my thirst.

people pointed and laughed.

had opinions

people came close

people ran away

but no one read

the words, or

beyond the words

instead they thought

little of

poetry / verse

poetry / lyric

poetry / play on / words

mine / yours

ancestral

over / underrated

live saving

poetry.