Best Poems Written by Karthikeyan Sankar

Not a poetry

the mistake I made
was I began calling myself a poet 
and I began calling my writing poetry 
but when you label yourself as anything
a comedian
an artist
a musician
a filmmaker
a dancer 
a painter 
you give the word permission 
to critique you as such 
you become restricted 
you invite comparison and expectation 
the truth is it was never poetry 
it was always just words 
it was what I had to offer the world...

...so if you have something to offer the world
know that it doesn't have to fit 
in a neat little box 
in fact, it shouldn't 
make what you like 
make what is honest 
make what you need 
make what is unexpected but don't try to be something

I mourn for all the art that is lost 
because we let ourselves forget 
that art is the outcome of our expression 
not the other way around
the goal is not to make music, poetry, art it is to set something within you free

Copyright © Karthikeyan Sankar | Year Posted 2024