There’s a lot less pressure in being a poet these days

because everyone is distracted with cooking shows,

talent quests and 25 women trying to date 1 man,

but there’s more confusion than ever

about what poetry is 
and what a poet does.

We get asked strange and peculiar questions, like

‘What kind of poetry do you write?’

‘I don’t know exactly. What kind of air do you breathe?’

It can’t be helped.

It’s in the nature of all us to ask strange and peculiar questions.

It’s just that poetry isn’t something that needs to be dissected

or explained any more than we do.

What do you expect to find in cutting open the moon

or breaking apart an onion with your teeth?

You’ll only find the moon and the tears of a fool.

Besides, all poets are liars

and all poetry is true.

Nevertheless the questions asked of poets are always the same.

What is poetry?

What is prose?

When did you start writing?

Why do you write poetry?
These questions are no better suited to a poet than a bird.

What is a song?

What is singing?

When did you start being a bird?

Why are you a bird?
Benjamin W Wild (c) 2015.