Creating the Poet

Advance: How does one, or how do you create a poet, or how does one become a poet? One must look at the roots of a poet first, just like anything in life worth its salt, you must look at how a poet was carved, out of stone or marble, it makes a difference. You see, all poets are not carved the same, yet they have some of the same qualities, one being, all good poets, melt.

Remember please, the premise, ‘The creation of a poet,’ most are inertly born to be, some are not, but find out the will is stronger than their birthright, and believe, and become.
The main object here is to simply reveal or illuminate the subject, and please remember this is my conception, others my have their own, and perhaps, they are more satisfying for them, than mine, I am not in completion with them, nor wish an argument.
In reviewing my short premise on the poet, I wish in part to look at the life of Plato, the great Greek, ancient philosopher, and perhaps his dear friend, and relative, Socrates. If you are asking why philosophers, and not poets, it is because (as I had said in the first paragraph) we are looking at the roots, the stone or marble.

—I have traveled the world over, perhaps been to over 60-countries: as did Plato in his day travel a lot (Plato to: Egypt, Judea, Italy, and Sicily). Plato was perhaps not born a poet, but in his own right became one to a certain degree. I on the other hand believe I was born one, since I have been writing poetry since the age of 12-years old.
Both of us knew, we had to gather up knowledge, he had to look for the truth of things, he found most things he learned were only half truths, I perhaps feel there is less than half in most truths. He sought out the prophets of Judea; I sought out, theological studies at a university for six months.
I at the age of 20-years old went to San Francisco, to seek out adventure, and the great karate men of that time, learned from them. Plato, had broad shoulders, and sought to be a good wrestler, and became one. He knew the art of fighting, as I did.
Plato was also a soldier, as I was, and as I had fought in a war, in Vietnam, I wrote poetry in Vietnam, as well. We both knew the discipline, the limits and the pains of war.
Plato studied a tinge of psychology and then onto philosophy, and to metaphysics (origin and structure of the universe); I took a different route; I studied a lot of psychology, a tinge of philosophy, and a bit of metaphysics, and perhaps added that to my parapsychology studies, and writings.

So you see we both were in the makings of our life as a poet, except he would take a turn, as I never did. But let’s look deeper into the structure of this thing called: making of the poet.
He had this idea, as did Socrates, to melt things down to its most comprehensive way; this perhaps was more on the philosophy side of his brain. I on the other hand, felt, to melt things down to its most simplistic organs. I think we both had the same idea, just a different mold (or style) to work with.

—There is an abyss for each and every poet, and he must dig down to it or simply find it and fall into it. Here is where knowledge is, and philosophy live, where education dwells, it is all exhibited here, and if there is no enthusiasm of poetry, he should seek something else, but it should melt here, the impressions, images, the science and art, it all belongs to him—in this environment, and this is his time to melt into it (it normally is called the university). Plato had found his in Athens, Italy, and Judea I do believe. I found mine in West Germany, Alabama, Minnesota, Texas; attending several universities.

And so you see, a poet, Plato was, but only in speculation, and a philosopher he really was in truth, but learned (like the poet) in many areas, and things, but seeking to make things melt in a comprehensive way. I on the other hand, cannot call myself a philosopher in its truest sense, and perhaps in its most comprehensive sense, I was simply a spectator of it, in my process of learning. A poet, yes, seeking out the impressions, images, effects of it all (life in general, and war, peace, the times, nature, the animals of the world, archeology, sociology, anthropology, and so forth), trying to put it all down in its most simplest approach.
Perhaps how we get to where we want to be is the same road (the poet and the philosopher must take), it just veers off a tinge along the way to the top of the mountain, but I think we all meet there, poet, philosopher, and that part we both have and seek, called metaphysics.

In Closing, let me simply say, I have not implied I hope, that you need to be like me or Plato, to be a poet. If you feel I did, it is your assumption, not my intention. Plato had money to do what he wanted. In the early part of my life I had no money, so I bought Will Durant’s books on Civilization, and read all eleven of them, chapter to chapter, and I bought a set of Encyclopedias, and did the same, subject to subject, all the way through from book one to book twenty-three. And when I had the chances in life, I grabbed them, at its throat, or tried to. Each person’s journey in becoming a poet is different.