When Did You Learn To Write Poems? Poem by Denis Martindale

‘When did you learn to write poems? ' The poet then replied.
‘From childhood, that's when learning stems and blossoms here inside.
And like a little rosebud grows and rises to the sky,
To face head-on the sun that glows. No need to question why.
Somehow it's Nature's guiding hand that holds us one-by-one,
To write new poems quite unplanned until each poem's done.
And only then comes editing, some savage and some kind.
To find out what seems most fitting and we no longer mind.
Such that it's time to share each rhyme as if to put on show.
Regardless if we're paid a dime. Regardless, yes or no.'

‘My teachers taught what they had thought would be the best for me.
As if I could write what I ought should I write poetry.
God bless them all as God blessed Paul, who preached to rich and poor.
He wrote and wrote such words of note I couldn't love him more.
He helped me write uplifting things like no-one else on Earth,
Such that I preach the King of Kings and His eternal worth.
So when you ask a moment when I learnt the ways to write,
It's possible to tell you ten when granted some insight.
So let's agree the learning curve has helped me on my way.
And so much more than I deserve, so what more can I say? '


Denis Martindale. August 2020.