After the college <br />reading, <br />the eager <br />students gather. <br /> <br />They ask me <br />what you need <br />to be a writer <br /> <br />& I, feeling flippant, <br />jaunty <br />(because <br />I am wearing <br />an 18th century <br />dress <br />& think <br />myself in love <br />again), <br />answer: <br /> <br />'Mazel, <br />determination, <br />talent, & true <br />grit.' <br /> <br />I even <br />believe it- <br /> <br />looking <br />as I do <br />like an <br />advertisement <br />for easy <br />success- <br /> <br />designer dress, <br />sly smile <br />on my lips <br />& silver boots <br />from <br />Oz. <br /> <br />Suppose <br />they saw me <br />my eyes <br />swollen <br />like sponges, <br />my hand <br />shaking <br />with betrayal, <br /> <br />my fear <br />rampant <br />in the dark? <br /> <br />Suppose they saw <br />the fear <br />of never <br />writing, <br />the fear <br />of being <br />alone, <br />the money fear, <br />the fear fear, <br />the fear <br />of succumbing <br />to fear? <br /> <br />& then there's all <br />I did <br />not say: <br /> <br />to be <br />a writer <br />what you need <br />is <br /> <br />something <br />to say: <br /> <br />something <br />that burns <br />like a hot coal <br />in your gut <br /> <br />something <br />that pounds <br />like a pump <br />in your groin <br /> <br />& the courage <br />to love <br />like a wound <br /> <br />that never <br />heals.<br /><br />Erica Jong<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/what-you-need-to-be-a-writer/
