if you asked me to say what poetry means to me 

i could not write you a poem about it

for i write poems when i feel broken 

or hopeful

i write poems to burn bridges

and build new ones 

for myself

i write poems to apologize 

to criticize

the world

i write poems to ground myself

to fly 

to free myself

this is not a poem 

because i am just writing 

a poem is my pain in words 

my disdain in words

my love in words

not an explanation 

this is just words

poetry is everything to me

because it is everything i am

and feel

in words