I Love Writing Poems

I started writing poetry only two years ago. Believing that my short story and essay writing had become stale, I decided to tackle a genre that I read little or wrote about. Now I'm absolutely in love with poetry. 

I believe that Edgar Allan Poe may have piqued my interest many years ago. I loved reading his short stories (still do) but it was his classic poem The Raven that may have planted the seed in my heart. Poe is my favorite writer. I have read the work of Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Herman Melville, Theodore Roethke, Gwendolyn Brooks, Rumi and numerous others.

Each of these authors had their own voice. Robinson Jeffers poems were quite different from those of Jack Kerouac. James Weldon Johnson and Lawrence Ferlinghetti were different but had their own distinct voice. I have taking a liking to the spoken word by the young people. Their words are strong and heartfelt. 

I read a lot of poetry which in turn has helped educate me and honed my own particular style. My spouse also writes poetry. Her style is totally different from mine. We have read at open mics and poetry venues and hope to do more reading.