Revisiting My AllPoetry Account
Finding inspiration in old (very old) work
I’ve been thinking a lot about poetry lately and I suddenly remembered that I used to have an account on AllPoetry. Was it still there? Yes, yes it was. Could I log in? Also yes.
I thought I’d take a read of the 70 poems I had posted there from the ages of sixteen to eighteen. The experience turned out to be enlightening and inspiring, which is not what I had expected.
Reading the words of young me is strange. I’m so self-assured yet uncertain. I thought stars, mirrors and trees were the height of poetic imagery. You can very much tell I was into the whole emo thing, and all in all my profile is very evocative of the late noughties.
However, amongst the forced rhymes, botched rhythm, teenage angst, and generally bad writing I read a few lines that still speak to me.
He’d watch the clouds and shadowed sun
and know each breeze by heart.
and in this chill wind
the flame of light-love flickers
dies
[bad luck]
They say that one tear raises the ocean
but it seems my tears are lost
and the ocean stays the same.
