“Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner”

Remember that line from Dirty Dancing when Pat Swayze’s character rescues Jennifer Gray’s character from a boring dinner with her parents—whisking her out on stage to compete in the dance contest? I hope so or I’ve made a bad choice in headline for this observation going out to people that enjoy writing poems: Don’t let critics ruin the magic for you.

Sure, there’s degrees to be had in the art and science of writing poems. But you don’t need one to enjoy choosing words—sounds and cadence and meanings—to describe a moment or thing that has special influence on your day or even your whole life.

Take a break. Pour some tea. Jot down whatever comes to mind then tinker until you’re happy. Then set it aside to come back to later.

If it’s done, share it with a friend.

If it needs more work, pour some more tea.