A Poets Dilemma

I must confess, my poem appears a mess! Wonder if I’ve lost my touch? Though it seemed all right, when I began to write, Did I edit a smidgen too much? Having honed my rhymes, so many times, Results are looking somewhat tragic! Should I take a rest, having done my best To make my poems seem magic? A poet thought great, surely can create, A poem regarded a leader, But when words fall flat, after changing this and that, They’ll seldom excite the reader. Furthermore, I’m no star, so doubt I’ll go far, Though with rhyming I’m rather smitten. Some ideas may well please, but without expertise, The results are poorly written. After poetry is writ, I’ll tweak it a bit, Hoping to make it read more sweetly. Now should I not stop, the poem ends as a flop, I’m forced to dump it discretely! I’d best face up to fact, and leave lines intact, Let lines be left as first read. Yes, lines I hone, I should let alone, To give inspiration its head. Like those of a Ham, they’re not worth a damn, If the metre is ragged or weak, So I’ll sit myself down, check adverb and noun; Then throw out the lines I can’t tweak! For they’ll mean not a thing, if the rhyme does not ring, Or becomes detached from the theme. If by my tweaking, I lose sight of my seeking? It’s a waste of time it will seem! Back in days when I wrote, some poetry of note, Editing was never intended, But today I’m feared, the results seem weird, Euphoria has finally ended! Better stick to my guns, write more rhymes and puns, Until my inspiration has fled, Should you see a deficiency, or lack of proficiency? You’d better say nowt till I’m dead! Rhymer. August 27th, 2009.