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A Question for My Fellow Poets - Men and Women - Joe Flach's Blog

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I WAS ME

First I was me,

Selfish as can be,

Wanting everything from A to Z

And wanting it all for me.

Then I became we,

A part of an us.

I learned to share, give and take

I learned how to trust.

Next I was you,

Believe me it's true.

I would rather give than receive,

It was you I wanted to please.

Now I am them,

A family man.

Giving my children,

All that I can.

If you look real close,

It is easy to see,

I am older and wiser,

And no longer a me.

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A Question for My Fellow Poets - Men and Women

Blog Posted:6/24/2014 9:00:00 PM

Most of the poems I write are fiction - yet, I also write most of my poems in first person.

I often place myself in someone else's shoes and write how I imagine they feel, respond, act, etc.

Here's my dilemma and question: When I write this way, I often find myself worried that a loved one or someone close to me will mis-interpret what I am writing and take it personally. For example, if I write of someone longing for love, in first person, will that insult my wife, or will she question my love for her? Do any of you find yourself having to temper what you write for fear of how someone close to you might react? Its easy when I think that only strangers (and you folks here couldn't get any stranger) will read what I write. And, honestly, most of my loved ones don't read my poems any way, but I often find myself having to be more cautious than I want to be with some of the stuff I write. Do any of you experience this same emotion or concern?

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Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 6/26/2014 7:19:00 PM

a very interesting blog. I have been so busy this week or I would have seen this earlier. I have felt a wee bit concerned about this topic in the past. Some things I have revealed are very personal. But I think it is easier to be ourselves with "strangers" (other poets who know us, but they are not people we fear disappointing because they are not among our inner circle of relatives, etc) I wrote a poem once called jackass Mormon. This is one i will not even share HERE. I'm afraid god might strike me dead!! and that poem would give my goodly LDS mother a heart attack.

Casarah
Nance

Date: 6/25/2014 7:59:00 PM

I did for ten years! when I met my husband I dodged around my writing because he took everything personally. Maybe it was time, or honesty, but I have gotten past worrying if he will take it the wrong way, if he does it is his problem not mine. Just be proud of your writing and yourself, I say I write poems about dying, doesn't mean I am dead. I write poems about cheating, doesn't make me a cheater, I write poems about doritos doesn't make me hungry-well sometimes. Just write as you see fit and don't worry. =)

Carolyn
Devonshire

Date: 6/25/2014 6:25:00 PM

No, Joe. I often write in the third person and there's no one who would be insulted anyway. LOL

Jan
Allison

Date: 6/25/2014 7:44:00 AM

I write from the heart Joe mainly about topics that have absolutely nothing to do with my life I just get the inspiration and the words flow. My husband reads some of my poems and knows they are simply out of my imagination and that writing gives me pleasure. If I get comments that makes people believe my poem is real then I feel I have done a good job:-) Hugs Jan xx

David
Williams

Date: 6/25/2014 3:12:00 AM

Joe, poetry has no boundaries, thoughts have no constraints, imagination stirs emotion...

Teddy
Kimathi

Date: 6/25/2014 12:37:00 AM

Hi Joe, Yes, I do have such worries sometimes. I might get an inspiration of writing a philosophical or thought-provoking poem, that might upset my family, relatives or friends' religious doctrines or principle. I imagine them calling me a "heathen" or "atheist" in their hearts. Ok, for me I believe that a poet is free to express his or her thoughts and emotions in ink, without feeling intimidated or being made an outcast. Poetry is like honest journalism from our deepest souls....

Robert
Lindley

Date: 6/24/2014 9:28:00 PM

I do not ever think that way. Sometimes I write about my life past ,present or even future. Other times I write using pure imagination and projecting thoughts of how others se life, love , the world etc. My wife knows I am not lusting for any sexy body but hers!!!! I certainly tell her often enough. lol As an artist, a poet you should be able to feel free to express the words and thoughts that inspire you and not fear misinterpretations .

Roy
Jerden

Date: 6/24/2014 9:28:00 PM

Good question! It happens all the time, mainly because so many poets write mostly about themselves, even if they hide it by changing to 3rd person, so they often assume others do the same. You can see it by the comments they leave. I sometimes leave a note that the poem is fictional so it is clear. Most of my poems are not personal anyway, and it's clear when you read them, but I do get the occasional commiseration for a sad poem.

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My Recent Poems

Date Posted	PoemTitle	Form	Categories
2/11/2024	Don't Lead Me On	Lyric	song,
2/9/2024	I Didn't Know Beauty	Rhyme	love,
2/7/2024	By My Side	Rhyme	death,love,
1/14/2024	Peacefully Dead - Saga of a Mad Poet	Rhyme	introspection,poetry,writ
7/18/2023	His Old Man's Advice	Rhyme	12th grade,father,son,
5/7/2023	Our Tandem Life Calliope	Rhyme	age,love,
3/25/2023	Songs That Make You Love Me	Rhyme	inspirational love,love,s
6/15/2022	College Days	Rhyme	nostalgia,
1/29/2018	I May Never Have Met You	Lyric	love,song,
5/20/2016	Pandemics of Hatred	Rhyme	history,political,
5/12/2016	Hike Your Own Hike	Rhyme	life,
5/11/2016	A Poet's Quest	Rhyme	poetry,writing,
5/4/2016	No Father In This World Is Luckier	Rhyme	family,
5/4/2016	The Casa - Court Appointed Special Advocate	Rhyme	children,
5/3/2016	Even the Angels Wept	Rhyme	angel,,Lullaby,
5/2/2016	Unconnected Dots	Rhyme	life,
4/29/2016	Her Beautifully Awful Singing	Rhyme	love,sad,song,
2/5/2016	My Parting Gifts	Rhyme	life,
2/5/2016	Love Tears	Rhyme	love,
1/26/2016	While Waiting	Free verse	life,
1/26/2016	Forevermore	Narrative	death,life,
1/24/2016	Forty	Rhyme	age,
1/23/2016	A Congregation of Deadly Sins	Rhyme	sin,
1/23/2016	I Want To Write a New Poem	Rhyme	life,
1/12/2016	The Man In the Irony Mask	Free verse	life,mystery,
1/12/2016	Cafes of Berlin	Free verse	life,
1/7/2016	I Refuse To Be Invisible	Rhyme	introspection,life,
1/5/2016	A Christmas Tale	Rhyme	christmas,giving,
1/5/2016	Bored In Manhattan	Rhyme	america,city,,western,
1/5/2016	A Life of Sunshine	Rhyme	poetry,writing,
6/4/2015	Pepsi Jingle	Lyric	song,
6/3/2015	The Girl In My Dreams	Rhyme	dream,
1/15/2015	Stand By Me	Rhyme	friendship,life,
12/17/2014	Whispers of Your Soul	Rhyme	life,
12/3/2014	True Detective	Rhyme	mystery,
11/2/2014	The Porch Light	Rhyme	inspirational,
10/29/2014	An Unfortunate Circumstance	Rhyme	love hurts,
10/28/2014	The Best Times of My Life - Born In the 50's	Rhyme	friend,history,life,
10/27/2014	Mocking Reminders	Rhyme	sad,
10/12/2014	A Conversation With My Father	Rhyme	father,
10/10/2014	I Would Like To Fall In Love Again	Rhyme	life,
10/9/2014	Blinded By the Speed of Life	Lyric	father,song,
10/7/2014	My Cell Phone Keeps Vibrate'N	Lyric	lost love,song,
10/1/2014	Tooth and Letter	Dramatic Verse	sad,
9/30/2014	The White Room	Rhyme	death,life,
9/25/2014	Anchored To My Heart	Lyric	sad,
9/25/2014	Walk-In Closets	Rhyme	break up,life,lost love,
9/19/2014	A Man With Rhyme To Reason	Ballad	life,
9/17/2014	The Ballad of Goodie-Two-Shoes	Ballad	life,
9/16/2014	My Life of Quicksand	Rhyme	allegory,life,
8/12/2014	She Is Love	Lyric	love,
8/11/2014	Purely Paradise	Lyric	love,lust,
8/10/2014	I Am Here	Rhyme	desire,
8/4/2014	A Six Pack Love Affair	Rhyme	funny,life,
7/30/2014	Random Acts of Kindness	Quatern	inspirational,
7/30/2014	Facade of Content	Rhyme	life,
7/23/2014	A Father's Tears	Rhyme	sad,
7/22/2014	Any Time You Need a Friend	Rhyme	friendship,love,
7/15/2014	Her Last Poem	Rhyme	death,sad,
7/6/2014	Slave To a Woman's Tears	Rhyme	life,
7/4/2014	Emptied Bottles	Rhyme	life,sad,
6/24/2014	Poets Who Write Love Poems	Free verse	poetry,
6/22/2014	The Summer of 1974	Rhyme	memory,
6/19/2014	We Both Get Passionate	Rhyme	love,lust,
6/18/2014	A One of a Kind Woman	Rhyme	girl,
6/17/2014	My Inability To Let My Inabilities Stop Me	Rhyme	inspiration,life,
6/16/2014	The Rolling Hills of Life	Rhyme	introspection,
6/13/2014	Midnight	Rhyme	introspection,
6/12/2014	So, Now What	Narrative	introspection,
6/10/2014	Sometimes We Just Have To Get Naked	Rhyme	life,
6/2/2014	Soup Song Sing-A-Long	Lyric	song,
5/29/2014	The Caged Bird Is Set Free	Elegy	angel,eulogy,poets,
5/27/2014	Tears On the Wind	Rhyme	spiritual,
5/21/2014	How Can Heaven Ever Be Heaven	Rhyme	love,song,
5/20/2014	The Butterfly Flutters By	Rhyme	life,
5/20/2014	The Unemployed Musician	Lyric	life,
5/19/2014	A Rose, a Tear and a Prayer	Rhyme	loss,love,
5/16/2014	Lost In Pursuit	Free verse	philosophy,
5/15/2014	There I Stood	Free verse	life,
5/15/2014	My Salvation	Free verse	introspection,life,
5/12/2014	The Artist	Rhyme	art,life,philosophy,
5/10/2014	First Shovel of Dirt	Rhyme	abuse,
5/7/2014	The Lonely Grave	Rhyme	life,
5/5/2014	The Last Thing That I Did Right	Rhyme	life,lust,
5/2/2014	Can You Still Love Someone	Monorhyme	lost love,
5/1/2014	Remember Me To Linda-Marie	Rhyme	dedication,
4/30/2014	A Daydream	Rhyme	art,dream,
4/30/2014	Helpless	Kyrielle	death,sad,
4/30/2014	An Easy Man	Burlesque	funny,sexy,
4/29/2014	A Cause To Rejoice	Sonnet	marriage,political,
4/28/2014	Portals To My Youth	Free verse	nostalgia,
4/24/2014	I Suck At Being Me	Rhyme	humorous,introspection,
4/22/2014	When First I Held Her Hand In Mine - Quatern	Quatern	daughter,
4/22/2014	Embers of Time	Rhyme	inspiration,life,
4/21/2014	Life	Rhyme	introspection,life,
4/20/2014	The Day They Killed My Easter Bunny	Rhyme	innocence,
4/16/2014	The Red, Flashing 1 On My Answering Machine	Rhyme	life,
4/8/2014	Smile, If You'Re Feeling Sad	Rhyme	inspirational,
3/28/2014	The Man In the Rosy Glasses	Rhyme	introspection,life,prejud
3/27/2014	Night Skies	Rhyme	life,

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