Sometimes when I read
a poem that truly takes my breath away,
I wonder why I even try when
I will never compose
anything of such magnitude.
And then I remind myself,
I play the guitar,
happily strumming chords,
my foot tapping away,
without comparing my playing
to Clapton, Harrison and Hendrix.
I read best-selling novels,
with earth-shattering plot twists,
and yet will happily while away
an afternoon writing
random short stories
that I myself don\'t understand.
I lace up my battered trainers,
and go out for a half-hour jog
without stressing over
my chances of completing
a marathon or 10K.
I tell myself that I should
adpot this attitude about
the verse I try and compose,
to just relax and go with it,
but I can\'t help wearing
my art on my sleeve.