To me, poetry is; concentrated, intense, mood-altering, life-changing words sometimes as simple as haiku and often as complex as pentameter-laced sonnets that leave the reader with haunting memories that can change realities. As a writer, as much as any, I strive to be read; however, writers today are born in an exceedingly brave new world, a world in which it takes more than powerful words, thought-provoking metaphors, catchy allusions, and well-crafted rhythmical alliteration to attract attention. It takes perseverance, discipline and guidance.
When a writer wishes to be openly great, he or she must first conquer weaknesses to realize the strengths of the work.
A little background on myself: I live in Little Rock, Arkansas not Seattle, not Chicago, and certainly not New York. In the South aspiring poets, by and large, has only the medium of slam to prove their talent. Slam poetry is an offshoot of spoken word. A slam is vibrant, energetic, and full of innuendo. In essence, its chaotic word combat. At the onset of my slam career my mantra had always been, "The best writer will win the crowds."
Experience has taught me that this is not true, as this is not a generation weaned on Shakespeare, Lord Tennyson, or Dylan Thomas. At best there are a precious few whose high school literature classes fed a steady diet of Edgar Allen Poe and perhaps a few beatnik offerings beyond high school. It is entirely conceivable that a full 70% of American students never reads classical literature again. People must be entertained before they entertain notions of deciphering deeper meanings and focus on un-timed rhyming conventions that would dizzy sleeping minds. My more modern prognosis is writing must be alive and interactive. What I attempt to offer my reader is a tale of dynamic characters, sensational antagonists, and words, words, words to change worlds with.In summation:I am a poet... A philosopher. I study both love and war. I wish to come to understanding of the human condition. I wish to come to understand ecstasy, both as a condition of the physical and spiritual. I want recognition for the art that I make as well as the thoughts I think. I want peace. I want sex, always but more than that, sensuality, sexuality, lust, longing, pain and the pleasure it brings. I want comfort yet I fear its ability to weaken an individual.I am multidimensional, loyal, lustful, literate, and legitimately genuine.