To Encourage a Fellow Poet

When words are apropos and apposite
When they aptly speak the voice of your heart
Why do they elicit an opposite
Response in those you thought had eyes to see
And instead of how you thought it would be
They reject those words and rip them apart?

The cause is that old curse of jealousy

The lower nature of man far from dead
Still slithers along to rear up its head
Proudly criticizing loudly when we
Begin to speak truth in our poetry
When we find our voice when we make that choice
To stop pandering start to speak our mind
When poetry leaves the petty behind

They try to hold you down then as you rise

But they will be in for a big surprise
In a while when you through substance and style
To open their tightly-closed minds and eyes
Make all their jealous heads spin with a smile
Do what you are here for! Knock at their door
Then break through it: I know you can do it

+Steven Curtis Lance



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