The poet fears failure <br />& so she says <br />"Hold on pen-- <br />what if the critics <br />hate me?" <br />& with that question <br />she blots out more lines <br />than any critic could. <br /> <br />The critic is only doing his job: <br />keeping the poet lonely. <br />He barks <br />like a dog at the door <br />when the master comes home. <br /> <br />It's in his doggy nature. <br />If he didn't know the poet <br />for the boss, <br />he wouldn't bark so loud. <br /> <br />& the poet? <br />It's in her nature <br />to fear failure <br />but not to let that fear <br />blot out <br /> <br />her lines.<br /><br />Erica Jong<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-poet-fears-failure/
