I've found that writing poetry has become a very important way for me to relieve stress. I refer to it as 'Poetic Therapy'. I tend to be a quiet person and up until recently I had a hard time expressing any feelings of unhappiness or anger. Writing poetry has become my outlet for those feelings. Past hurts and betrayals that were never resolved were healed by the poems that came about from their experience. I would like to urge others who have a hard time expressing themselves to try writing poetry too. You may actually find you took your self-esteem and self-understanding to a higher level because of it.

Published, experienced, and inexperienced poets come to the conclusion at some point that each poet's writing signature is different. Some poets like their poetry to rhyme, others don't. Still others just let it flow to create itself. Many times I don't start out with the intention of a new poem rhyming. It just kinda ends up that way. For better or worse. Some poets use flowery poetic words, others prefer to be blunt in what they say. The poetry you write is a very personal thing. The poetry I write is mostly inspired by my family, dear friends and my experiences in life. Whether they be pleasant, delightful or not so pleasant. A couple times they have been inspired by graphics I came across. 'Path of Life' was one of those poems. I had been wanting to write a special poem for a friend but my mind was a blank slate as to where to start. It was maddening as heck. When I came across a country graphic set of a lonely country road, finally inspiration hit me. I think out of all my poems 'Path Of Life' is my favorite. It just seemed to flow from within and gave me no trouble of expressing exactly what I wanted to say. Unlike other poems I've written. It's very frustrating when you have a mental block and can't for the life of you find the words for what you wish to say.

For me the poems themselves are kind of a hit or miss. Sometimes if you're particularly blessed that day, it will flow beautifully without effort. Other times bits and pieces flow but it's missing pertinent parts here and there. And then what you come up with to fill in those holes sounds so lame you want to smack yourself silly. Once in a while I let a lame line pass and hope no one else realizes it was as lame as I knew it to be. Anyone who knows me well, knows what a perfectionist I am when it comes to almost everything in my life.

The creative person finds himself in
a state of turmoil, restlessness,
emptiness, and unbearable frustration unless
he expresses his inner life in some creative way.
~ Silvano Arieti

I urge everyone to try writing poetry as a form of self expression. There is no right or wrong way of doing it. It's all about you!! It's about expressing who *you* are inside. And if people are so narrowminded as to criticize your poetry, phooey on them. For those who say they have an open mind about such things.. tell them 'yeah, and it just happens to be closed for repairs at the moment??' Hopefully I've inspired someone new to try their hand at writing and I sincerely hope your life will be blessed as much as I was by the simple act of trying a new experience.

Warmest Wishes,
Jesslan