writing poems i decree
is oft of pain and mirth
and in this way as one might see
its quite like giving birth
so lets begin the scene is set
please players take the stage
bare witness to a miracle
a birth upon this page
apart from rare exceptions
whether poetry or prose
from the moment of conception
a poem slowly grows
it might just be word
like an adjective or noun
or a certain kind of feeling and you need to write it down
or a picture that delights you
or a quirky turn of phrase
or something that youve heard
that will stick with you for days
when it dances on your mind
for the moment that it starts
is the moment you will find
youre pregnant of the heart
now pregnancy as anyone whose been there will attest
demands a certain regimen of discipline and rest
for as quickly as it comes it can just as surely go
take advice from this old mother
these are things you need to know
so if by chance youre pregnant
find a pen and empty page
and give your whim its wings to fly freely from its cage
let it soar or let it swoop
let it land upon the bed
let it fly around the room in the back of your head

and although you may be scared
you must never break the flow
if you want to write a poem
be prepared to let it go
for the period of labour is the hardest thing to bare
as you never know how long it takes
until the poems there
then once you see your child like the first time i saw mine
you gaze into its eyes and you lose all sense of rhyme
for there it is in glory
the wonderment of birth
as you have helped deliver
one more poem to the earth