BACKWARD POET

This poem was inspired by various critics who suggested I: write sonnets, not rhyme, change my meter and correct my grammar. As my poetry is a definitive personal statement, I resist most suggestions. I refuse to compromise my writing to accommodate the desires of others. I am the ultimate arbiter of my work, and I have innate confidence in my choices regarding it.


BACKWARD POET

I’m a backward poet, and what is worse,
I’m a backward poet who writes inverse.
Although I tried some rearranging
My meter I will not be changing
Ten beats per line, what a boring bummer.
I like to march to a different drummer.
Yes, the Bard’s Sonnets are immortal,
But there’s none I can quote.
“A trip to the moon on gossamer wings”.
Is the line I wish I’d wrote.
Some may not like my beat irregularity
But the person I want to please is ME
Is poetic license only given to those,
Whose poetry is more like prose?
And so I write the way I want.
Not caring if it’s discordant.
Yes, I break the rules as I rhyme away
Sometimes I’ll include a forbidden cliché.
As my poems earn praise at each performance
I will continue my non-conformance.
I’m a backward poet, some think that’s sad.
But a black sheep like me likes being baaaaaaad.

By Sue Raymer Woods
August 6, 2009