A little throwback piece (“A Letter to This Poet”)

“You’re supposed to be a writer.” / You’re supposed to be exploding with innovation, / You’re supposed to overflow with ideas, / You’re supposed to think all the time / when you’re watching trees play at the local park / when you’re watching chalk dance tap with the green screen / you’re supposed to connect with nature and send off “organic, all natural” wifi bars / you’re supposed to swing your pen to the rhythm of the chalk stick’s feet kissing the chalkboard, / You’re supposed to drown in the Extended Metaphor Ocean and all of its glory for being deeper than that of the Atlantic or Pacific / and you’re supposed to learn to swim in the mix of blue and black that tries to swallow up your flesh / you’re supposed to taste the salt / you’re supposed to find symbolism and allusion “Under the Sea” and compose songs with lobsters and mermaids / but you’re supposed get hit by crashing waves / and you’re supposed to drown, / You’re supposed to allocate and air alliterations as amiable, / You’re supposed to be as ironic as hell is pleasant, / You’re supposed to have feelings. / “You’re supposed to be a poet.”