Dead Poets

He took his leave of this world 
with the truth on his lips
while soaking in that warm bath in Paris
where he had flown to pursue a new path
having been forced to publish his poetry himself
because that sort of thing doesn’t rake in the big bucks
For all their smarm and ego stroking
those suave men in designer suits and silk ties 
stop caring about you 
(they never really did)
when you’re no longer bringing home the bacon to fry
greasing their bottomless pockets
by catering to popular taste even if it's tripe
(as it usually is)
turning their attention to the next big name
when you tire of the game
and let it go to watch the wheels spin like Lennon
Poets aren’t appreciated until after they’re dead
Maybe it’s the romantic mystery of not being able to ask
what they meant by a certain sonnet or a single line
searching for clues in fragmented stories of a life
that no one gave a damn about before they
breathed their last
like mine
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

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Marcum Wong Avatar
May 24, 2022 at 2:06 PM
This is so true. “Poets aren’t appreciated until after they’re dead Maybe it’s the romantic mystery of not being able to ask what they meant by a certain sonnet or a single line searching for clues in fragmented stories of a life that no one gave a damn about before they breathed their last” The same goes for artists. Van Gough died thinking he was a failure. I hope he knows how much his work is appreciated now. Blessings xxoo
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