I'm not a Poet

Day 8: "In his poem, “Poet, No Thanks,” Jean D’Amérique repeats the phrase “I wasn’t a poet” multiple times, while describing other things that he instead claims to have been. In your poem for today, use a simple phrase repeatedly, and then make statements that invert or contradict that phrase."

I'm not a Poet

I'm not a poet. 
I'm a woman whose world unwraps itself
Piece by beautiful piece,
Revealing its true nature shyly
Like the heart of a onion.

I'm not a poet.
I'm a wife with love as deep as the ocean
Riding waves of joy and frustration
Bobbing along on the tide of commonplace
Warming myself on your shore. 

I'm not a poet. 
I'm a mother and grandmother as fierce as a tiger,
Soft as dough rising in a cream ceramic bowl,
Constant as the sun appearing in the morning, 
Proud as a peacock, true as time. 

I'm not a poet.  
I'm a sister whose thoughts fly over the miles
Shrinking the distance till we stand side by side,
Two branches split from the same sturdy trunk 
You ventured out first; I followed in your shade.
 
I'm not a poet. 
I'm a woman who squints to find focus
To find glimmers of hope
Like diamonds, buried deep
In the heart of a mine.


© Copyright 2026. Chris Auger. All Rights Reserved

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