One has to be willing to shift perspective

when approaching poetry.

It’s like climbing to the mountain top

to see how the view changes.

I think of poetry as a poet’s

soul distilled on paper. Poets

are trying to convey something meaningful

by allowing you to peek

inside to see what makes them tick.

Or, they’re trying to get you to

look at an idea in a brand new way –

shift patterns of thinking so that

you are presented with treasured new

gifts by looking through unfamiliar

lenses – an old idea seeming brand new –

catching a glimpse of the unexpected.

Perhaps, if you allow, a poem will speak

to you each time in a unique  way;

giving you countless sojourns

through the poet’s mind, soul, and spirit.