Poetry

And He Was Such A Good Boy
by Earl Bergland, 1970

Never wagered unless it was small
Never drank hardly any at all
Seldom if ever in anger swore
Maybe a hell a damn nothing more

Tried to be a good lad
Doing right by mom and dad

Went to college and I did fine
Read and listened, improved my mind
Years did stay at the university
Until I did earn that required degree

Traveled down the road to be a teacher
Never thought I would be such a creature
Taught those kids what was just good
Taught them as mom and dad would

Been trying to keep my nose clean
Seeing what should only be seen

Going to jail because I grabbed a gun
Shot the mayor debating pollution
Thinking that I have been had
Trying to be a good lad

Why Poetry? Poems are written by people who are too lazy to write a book. Most people who write poetry would do more good for the world by growing flowers or painting old barns. But we need to have patience because many young poets just need a few years of practicing as do musicians.
What are the three basic requirements for a quality poem?
A. The topic must be very important.
B. The poet must express thoughts with clarity.
C. The poem must create a dramatic impact (create an emotional feeling) in reader.
Is poetry a waste of time? That is a tough question. We can wonder the same thing about fishing or watching a football game. A poem provides the poet with a means of expressing ideas and feelings by a very personal means. Playing basket ball or cooking is also a means of personal expression.
What kind of an attitude should we have about reading poetry? Imagine sitting in a park on a spring day listening to your friend discuss ideas with you. Poets love waterfalls and country fried chicken.