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Explanations


I was by the window
 Thinking.
 When my younger sister told me
 "I want to be a poet like you when I grow up"
 
 "No" I said
 "You will not be a poet"
 Why sissy?"
 "Because it's a sweet poison,
 
 It's wonderful at first, sweet as chocolate
 Then you want perfection
 You struggle
 Go mad for a time
 
 It seeps into your life and takes over
 You can think of nothing but the poem
 The ghost that hovers behind your shoulder laughs
 It knows it has you in its grip.
 
 You become a prisoner for life, 
 For eternity.
 And in the end, 
 Your work, your life, your obsession, 
 
 Is tossed aside
 By a non-believer."
 She stares at me
 Then runs away.
 
 And goes on to become a tortured soul.
 In other words, 
 A poet.
 
 
 
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Explanations | Power Poetry