The Poet - Celebrating Black Poetry Day Illustrations on Night Cafe https://creator.nightcafe.studio/collection/IobaBNYq9CGeCllHEE80 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/JX5J_9qYt3w Watch on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@artelisabeth/video/7426484291179187487 The poet sits and dreams and dreams; He scans his verse; he probes his themes. Then turns to stretch or stir about, Lest, like his thoughts, his strength give out. The hardest job of all is this To share your mind With writing fists Wrestling with the pen to turn Thoughts from chaos To clear words Then off to bed, for he must rise And cord some wood, or tamp some ties, Or break a field of fertile soil, Or do some other manual toil. He dare not live by wage of pen, Most poorly paid of poor paid men, The hardest job of all is this To share your mind With writing fists Wrestling with the pen to turn Thoughts from chaos To clear words With shoes o'er-run, and threadbare clothes, And editors among the foes Who mock his song, deny him bread, Then sing his praise when he is dead. The hardest job of all is this To share your mind With writing fists Wrestling with the pen to turn Thoughts from chaos To clear words Pity the poet most of all For rhyme or not The meter and the time require More construction To sate desire
