Poetry Is Alive

Though its forms have changed over centuries, poetry is Alive! In this hub, I explore the subject of poetry from personal experience and continued discovery.

All poetry copyright Mindy Makuta (aka MyFairLadyah) Reprint with Permission

On Reading Poetry Aloud to an Audience of Strangers

Thank you, Thank you

For being here to listen

While we poets profess

Our heart held convictions

Know that you are an essential element

To this experience

To this sharing of ourselves

An approving, civil audience

That listens and perhaps hears

What some of us say

This venue, where our free words are spoken

Is essential too

Thank you, Thank you

For being here to listen

I'm taking a big chance

See, my poetry doesn't go askance

I try to paint a picture, tell a story

And I don't write the for glory

But I'd like you who hear or read

To be planted with the seed

To love the words and mood

That they would do some good

To have you think or give you calm

Or even rise you up in alarm

That the meter is pleasant

Let this be a gift; a present

A lifelong love of the poetic

I, the poet, being prophetic

This is the best that I can give

That my words shall live

Will the current writings be forgotten

As we speedily hurtle towards the new

I say that would certainly be rotten

But it's not too likely that would ensue

The future beckons with new technology

We may all have tablet readers one day

Yet, Nostradamus' quatrains of astrology

Obscure as they were, are known today

And, too, Chaucer, Milton and Spencer

Still are dissected in Literature class

Though the language somewhat denser

We won't be left in a boring morass

We will always value what is well written

And find some way to access and devour

The new generations will yet be smitten

With love of language always to empower