The importance of sharing your poetry

As we approach the end of the semester and I sift through all my poetry to form a cohesive portfolio, I am forced to reflect on my writing and what I aim to accomplish as a poet. Like some of my peers have expressed, I have no idea who I am or what my purpose is (both as a person and as a poet). I tend to draw inspiration from my life and write about topics often overlooked. For instance, this semester I’ve written about a negligent, yet semi-present parent, the personification of mental illness, and the overbearing/outdated views of certain religions. To me, these topics are very important and need to be talked about. But how will my poetry help accomplish that? Without publication, my words might as well just stay in my head. I’m realizing the importance of publication and broadcasting, which gives poetry its full meaning. Even if I were to simply share my poetry with my friends, family, and/or peers, I’d still be broadcasting my work and therefore, sparking conversation on the topics. I’ve finally grasped the importance of sharing my poetry, because it has the power to, at the very least, bring attention to certain matters, and at the most, inspire people to make a change.