Poetry to me

Poetry to me is like a distant relative.

That relative that was there as you grew up

and saw a few times a year

Mostly at the important events or at Christmas.

That one relative you go to when you need advice

for two reasons

1) They seem to carry the answer to every subject thrown at them 

and 2) Most importantly they listen 

Poetry was and is never prominent in my life but it is always there

like that weird, cryptic, relative

always there when I was sad or lonely 

longing for the words of Sylvia Plath or Dickinson

that would make me understand my emotions and situtaions 

 Or during the trials and tribulations brought about in Middle and High school

that somewhow would be soothed and comforted

by an arrangement of cleverly strung together words

like chicken noodle soup our mothers feed us when we were sick

it nourishes not th body but rather the soul 

Poetry is fleeting in my life just like that distant relative who you forget until

you see them across from you at Thanksgiving,

but nevertheless are thankful they are there

otherwise you would be consuming your turkey in awkward silence 

Poetry is always there, silent and without judgement, but once you notice it

you are thankful it is there so once again you don't have to be silent.