Reflection 1

[mrpaulie]

Reading the works of great writers like Plath and Ginsberg (a personal favorite of mine) is, I guess supposed to make us more well informed and competent writers. In all honesty it just scares the shit out of me. In the modern day and age you have to be exceptionally talented, infinitely creative, and more than a bit well connected to make it as a professional poet, and although I tell people that my plan is to be a professional proofreader, I’d love to be a poet full time. I know that that’s hardly realistic even in the world of poetry, but I would love it. But reading this I’m sitting here looking at my own poetry and going "Holy fucking shit you have to be incredible to make it as a poet in modern times, and I'm not actually very fucking good... dammit..." I mean, seriously, everything has already been done, better than I could do it, by people who were well enough connected to get it into the hands of real publishers. It’s very discouraging.

What thoughts I have of you tonight Allen Ginsberg.
You were really gay. I mean really really gay.
That’s pretty awesome. I wish I was a writer with a cause.
I’m pretty much just depressed.
People have been writing about depression for years.
Nothing new.
Dammit.

Also, Sylvia Plath, you bug me.
Yes I realize you were a goddess,
but honestly, you never say anything new.
Knock it off.
You may have been a goddess but Ginsberg was the pope.

That is all.