In thinking about this subject for the umpteenth time, I’ve decided to issue this official warning to all who read or hear my poetry:

I make some of it up.

I try to use my imagination, my knowledge, and my skill to create believable worlds with strong imagery and good use of sound dynamics.

Sometimes I write directly about my own experience, sometimes I take the voice of someone else in an experience I’ve been involved in, sometimes I change facts to make a better poem, sometimes I make the whole damn thing up.

Regardless of the facts given in the piece, I trust that my underlying intent — to express some human truth or bit of observation, maybe even offer some insight — carries me through.

The difference is this: I admit it when I do this. So if I tell you a poem is a true story, it’s a true story.

If I don’t, assume NOTHING — the voice of the poem is frequently not the voice of the poet.

At least, not in my case.

If your heart moves too fast
for your self to keep up, your self
may be scared and fall farther
behind for a time.

This doesn’t mean
that your heart
was on the wrong path. It may mean
your heart is fleeter, stronger,

than you want to admit.
And look at all the people
cheering you on! There are races
that end, races that don’t,

races you can only win if you
follow the leader,
trusting (as we do) that you’ll catch up
some day.

Now then — cut it out. I think you’re allowed some personal venting. We’ll let it go this time, but if it happens again…

we’ll be right here.

What if, instead of starting our own organization, we built a union within PSI — a voting bloc, a pressure group, call it what you will, that could simultaneously work on improving the quality of the poetry and shifting the emphasis from NPS as an end result to NPS as a process for delivery of the poetry?

I’m not really sure what I am driving at here. I’m not good with details this late at night — or during the day, for that matter. I’m a better big picture guy.

What I am trying to suggest is that those looking for change organize as a group first, then take the necessary steps — if that’s a new organization, fine; if it’s a revamped PSI, fine too.

After all — it’s a hell of a lot more fun to take over an existing organization than build a new one.