How Many Poets Did I Know Growing Up

  How many poets did I know growing up

   I knew doctors, lawyers and bricklayers
   Teachers, bookkeepers, naysayers
   Local politicians and crossing guards
   ‘Handicapped’ people, we called them ‘retards’

   I knew the guy who drove the ice cream truck
   A professional gambler who was quick with a buck
   I even knew a minister, rabbi, and priest
   People from the coast, the south, and the Middle East

  But I never knew a poet growing up 
  Seems that most were old or deceased
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

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Harty Avatar
February 14, 2024 at 9:56 AM
Ahah! You had a questionable ice cream man also! :D I was the only poet I knew when I was little, but I seem to remember reading Anna Laetitia Barbauld's poem "Life!" and thinking it quite profound.
Rodrigues Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 7:17 PM
So happy for our Soupers! We are not alone!
Rodrigues Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 7:15 PM
Perhaps they were masked poets!
Wolf Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 7:56 PM
Perhaps they were poets who didn't know it. At any rate... It was all a loooooong time ago...
Brotherton Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 5:35 PM
There was a poet, Robert Depew in my high school class who was a published poet. We always made fun of him.
Wolf Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 7:53 PM
Whoa. Pretty unusual that Robert Depew. Understandable that his peers made fun of him in high school... We had a musical group of 'long-hairs' that had a record in the 'Top 40.' They were expelled for their hair. 1965, if I remember correctly.
Romios Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 4:46 AM
I knew famous wriers in Chicago and other cities, after I was 19…. The Bible, you grew up with,has poetry,.. of course we never met the aithors. Growing up in the Vatholic faith, long ado, was much musi whicjH was little and said in Latin. But we knew Latin then.. now it’s more like a hoot nanny and church. Gregorian Chant went out the window. Anyway, Gershon, those were days.very beautiful. Huggs, Pangie xxx
Romios Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 8:39 PM
Well you know what my faith is noew, dont you.? PR good night,
Wolf Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 8:02 PM
Dei gloria --- Farewell. ~ Hoot and Nanny
Conn Avatar
January 25, 2024 at 3:44 AM
What about painters and prostitutes?
Baker Avatar
January 24, 2024 at 8:59 PM
Never knew one until I came to poetry soup, but I like about all of them here. lol Have a good day! Bill
Wolf Avatar
January 24, 2024 at 9:08 PM
Me too, my friend. Cheers, gw
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