Why Poetry

For the little kid in me
who spoke in pages
never paragraphs
for the chronic over-explainer in me
who always owed
my reasons
to any and all who asked
instead came poetry
the brief, the pointed
the position that did not need
to be defended
rhyming or free verse
experimental or ragey
I have so many words
so much I wish to say
and such little energy
to explain
to argue
to counter
take me as I am
or take me not at all
poetry flows across the page
and cares not at all – Caroline A. Slee