Joining AD,
was like signing up
to be a sailor at sea,
falling in the water with
the sharks eating at me.
Not having perfect
swimming abilities,
almost drowning
from the hostilities.
Grady, Grady
your pen stroke is weak,
misspell one word
your future is bleak.

Still I swim the sea,
and the sharks
kept on chasing me.
The longer I swim,
the more I learned
from them.
Barely staying above,
I refused their shove .

As I swim AD's oceans,
I observed
my predators motions.
Big attitudes
seem to prevail,
rather than
writing abilities that excel.
Words are like birds,
attitudes stick around
in herds.

Strong attitudes keep us
from going under,
after we mess up 
or either blunder.
Swimming abilities
will keep us alive,
so we'll continue to
learn and thrive.
There isn't a sailor
on this ship,
that signed up just
for the trip.

We all wanted
to venture out,
explore what this
writing thing is about.
Feed our fantasies
of word,
speak out
and
be heard.
Express our feelings,
enhance our thrillings.

One thing about AD,
you'll find out
if you belong at sea.
Some will have you
walking the plank,
sooner or later you'll end up
taking a drink,
swimming with the sharks,
maybe taking long walks
in the parks,
rethinking your position,
cancelling your mission,
Or 
standing your ground,
refusing to be knocked
down.

G