The problem with poetry, or at least one of them
is that everyone has already decided they don’t like it
Before they’ve listened to a line
Before they’ve embraced a rhyme
They’ve decided they don’t like it.
Before they’ve read Billy Collins
(They’d rather listen to Phil)
Before they’ve read Charles Simic
(They do however like Charlie Brown)
They’ve decided they don’t like it.
Imagine if you will going to your first day of middle school,
with so much to offer, so much potential,
But everyone has already decided they don’t like you.
Because of what someone else has said
Because they heard you were boring
Because some of the time you match.
It’s not fair, is it?
Now you know how poetry feels.
But I think you’ll both overcome it.