the po~et (ink)

There are a few reasons why people read the words of a poet. One is to simply humor the poor soul because everyone thinks he is two shakes from being on the other side of sane. Or you read because you too chase away the same demons. You understand the inescapable words or the ones too slippery to hold. You read because you are in awe of those who have mastered the pen. You can see the sweat at the end of each line. You study poets and it becomes a sickness or even a weakness--you can't help yourself. You wonder if to whom the labor is in dedication to has read beyond the introductory page? Or do they just casually mention it at dinner parties to elevate their status? All too familiar. You can hear their loneliness in between the letters. You wonder do they know how invasive you have become? And if so, why do they expose themselves for you to see? Either they humor you the reader or the two, both the writer and the admirer, are equally lonely. They look for someone to wipe the ink from their hands. Like making love, they would rather not do so alone.