A POEM

Writing Alone

Henri-Jean Guillaume Martin: La poétesse Clémence Isaure (public domain)

Words swim in and out of my mind
images of people, places, things
wanting to come to life
characters no one knows
except me who’ll grant them a name

Stories from my childhood
events from adult days
shouting at me to write my truth
share my story, sing my song

Poems and fiction
essays and stories
books, collections of writings
by my hand, my mind, my experience,
all wanting to be brought to light
freed from my heart and mind

Flowing easily until responsibility
reminds me to sleep
to stop for now
because someone else needs me
someone else calls

Intrusions in my writing space
means I may never finish it all
never bring to life all the stories within
but I’ll do what I can
sneaking words in between
all my loved one’s needs