I Thank Poetry for That

The first time I wrote poetry I was just a mindless power ranger-lover in the fifth grade
Poems were short, about the length of a sticky note
Yet back then I was proud of what I wrote
6th grade, I entered Craig’s boat of poetic writing
A couple of poems in my hand
I performed one, then all of a sudden the lights were shutoff, then turned back on, the spotlight was on yours truly
I never thought the so-called best performance was going to be by me with this poem I now hardly call poetry
You know what, “Ode to my XBOX” was a poem, childish, but interesting
Interesting to see a 12-year-old boy start the first page of his poetry journal
For the first time in my life, I felt I was being heard loud and clear
Not just being heard, but listened to
For the first time in my life I didn’t feel the emotion I always felt when I was talking to and staring at the confused and amused face of the person was speaking to
And it felt great being so focused that I didn’t stutter or stumble or crumble over myself
And I thank poetry for that
I mean poetry was also the one thing I was ever really good at
Writing similes and metaphors explaining burdens in my heart which was enclosed in a locked up simple chest
Every poem I wrote was letting people know a bit about the real Mauricio
Every poem I wrote was giving people a bit of my treasure from my chest
I never really fully opened it
Poetry and I, I and Poetry, a married couple saying I do because at the moment they loved each other
You can say we were very on and off
Well, whenever I was on she was off, whenever she was on I was off
But there were always those rewarding moments when Poetry and I really connected, really in a relationship
I spoke for her, and she spoke for me
Poetry was my microphone, the things I said were incredible, I couldn’t believe they were my own, but the more I spoke the more I honed these metaphorical lines that even rhymed
They made sense and had rhythm and were well-timed
Wait, I’m getting a bit cocky now, but I can’t say that what I was saying through this microphone was actually micro
I was full of ideas in my head like the amount of hair in an Afro
I owe poetry a colossal debt
A debt which I will pay as quickly as I wrote that I O U
I’m very honorable you see
I believe anyone or anything I owe something to will be given something in return
So that’s how I feel about poetry
I owe it like how I owe my sister “strength”. I owe it like how I owe baby brother “hope”. I owe it like how I owe my dad a “home”. I owe it like how I owe my mom “care”. I owe it like how I owe my parents “life”. I owe it like how I owe my family “love”.
I used poetry to get through people as many times as you turned something on
Yeah sure, they laughed with my performances, but they laughed because they understood, they understood this book titled Chronicles of Marz Book 1-3, and it will soon be Chronicles of Marz Book 1-Infinity
So you know what, all the money I earn for these bestsellers should and will go to poetry
Poetry, thank you for that…that freedom of speech and passion I now feel resting in my chest
That confidence and inspiration I feel jogging through my veins
I now feel like, if I do my Ode to my XBOX I would become the XBOX…
360!!!
I would be Microsoft’s masterpiece and again I won’t seem so soft and micro
I would be like an ignition of pure sensation from within
And it won’t matter how many times I would lose in life, it won’t matter how far or close I would be from that victory
I could lose by 100 points feeling like a dim-witted professional NBA All-star, or I could lose by 1 point feeling like all had to do was run for one more yard to get the touchdown
Either way it still doesn’t matter to me because I’ve all ready gotten my trophy
So through accomplishments and failed attempts, I still hear it in my ears, I still feel it in my heart, and I still see it in my mind
“The point is not the point, the point is Poetry”