The napowrimo.net prompt for day 14 is to ‘write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems. These could be poems/poets/people that you strive to be like, or even poems, poets, and people that you strive not to be like.’

It has to be real
            connect
            contain honesty
(if not clarity)

I don’t want wordplay
to demonstrate dexterity
            or flatness of tone
            to weigh down with gravity
                        or minutiae in detail
                        to drown me in reality
(and leave the fictitious grit behind)

I don’t want to read about gardens
      and flowers
            and forests
            and trails
(and go light on the Jesus, okay?)

I don’t care about the Beats
and the self-consciously hip
      or trauma and triggers
      or tales of self-abuse
            or political beefs
            or manifestos
(and I hate ampersands everywhere for no damn reason)

I want to feel real emotion
I want to feel like I’m not alone
      like I’m not the only one
      like I’m not all by myself
            like you know how it feels
(I want to feel like you feel it too)

Maybe say ‘fuck’ once in a while

(13 April 2020—posted April 14)

Wishes sometimes have consequences—available to order from your favorite local bookstore!

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