One of my favorite poets, Rilke, in response to a young poet questioning his own path as a poet, wrote:
“There is only one way: Go within. Search for the cause, find the impetus that bids you right. Put it to this test: Does it stretch out its roots in the deepest place of your heart? Can you avow that you would die if you were forbidden to write? Above all, in the most silent hour of your night, ask yourself this: Must I write? Dig deep into yourself for a true answer. And if I should bring it’s assent, if you can confidently meet this serious question with a simple, “I must,” then build your life upon it. It has become your necessity. Your life, in even the most mundane and least significant hour, must become a sign, a testimony to its urge.”
From Letter To a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
I am a poet
the words of my heart are not a product to be sold or bought, consumed, abused, or even understood. boxed neatly in or spewed without intention. my voice, my words, are a vehicle of truth. to me, they are mine. to you, perhaps of some use. and while I hope my voice be of the purest service, I know not all can be reached. I know that to some, my words do not speak.
I do this because my soul yearns to be heard.
and so, I cannot judge what I say or speak into the world. I cannot weigh a verse’s value or worth based on external forces: who will read or listen, how I will be perceived. I cannot stop to consider what rhymes or make sense or fits. to rearrange too much is to deceive Truth as it flows effortlessly. to determine mood or theme or rhyming scheme preemptively is a detriment to the expression of purest Truth.
before I went public with poetry and writing, I understood this intuitively. what stops me in my tracks, what silences me is the voice of my Ego saying something is not right, or who will appreciate this, or who will take issue. Am I a good poet? Is this line as good as the last?
I am a poet. There is no “good” or “bad.” I reject all binaries.
I am a poet. I am a seed of Truth sprouting from the deepest aches in the heart of humanity and my words are my power, my magick, my purpose, and my Truth.
I am a seed of Truth.
I am the universe expressing itself.
This is why I write.
I see through the veil of separateness.
I am One with all that lives and has lived.
Each breath I take is a Divine Prayer.
I need not look over my shoulder any longer.
I am free to create my own life and experiences.
Any blockages or obstacles exist only to teach me to let go.
I trust the Divine timing of the universe.
In continually releasing attachment to outcomes, expectations, beliefs, people, and memories,
I become more free.
When I free myself, I am freeing those around me.
When others become more free,
Freedom spreads like wildfire.
I am a poet.
And my words bring healing, empowerment, and liberation.
This is a promise I will keep to myself always. Thank you for reading. May you speak your Truth. May you be free. May all beings be free.
self-discovery, scientifically 