Bringing Mae Flowers

I’ve become a political poet.

If the last few months have been good for anything, it’s inspiration. I’ve been spitting out poems about current events on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. While most of those rough drafts don’t see the light of day, I deemed several decent enough to share on TikTok and this blog. If the news cycle keeps spinning as quickly as it has been I’ll be able to publish a book; “Nursery Rhymes for the Apocalypse” is the title one TikTok follower recommended. I do admit that it has a nice ring to it.

But are the poems any good?

What is the difference between enthusiasm and inspiration? It’s a constant struggle that many writers have, especially those of us with bipolar disorder who may conflate manic energy with creative flow. As stress can trigger manic episodes, and our current news cycle has been anything but peaceful, it’s no wonder that I have to wonder if my sudden creative spark is a spark of another kind. Are my poems artistic expressions of the time, or are they just the ramblings of a literal maniac.

Does it matter if my poem are good?

A few years ago I wrote a blog post about my bad poetry. The premise was simple, “My poetry is bad. should I quit writing it?” Obviously, the answer was “no”. Writing has always been my way of organizing my thoughts and feelings into something comprehensible and manageable. My poems are a big part of who I am and how I experience the world, as such, their quality isn’t- and shouldn’t be- a factor in their existence.

I’ve become a political poet.

I became a political poet because it’s become impossible not to be political in this world. So, I’m going to keep writing. And I’m going to keep posting. I never intended to become a political poet, but that is who I am going to be for as long as I feel compelled to do so.