First, clear the area of critics. br Next, grab an image or a supple br length of language and get going. br It’s all you now. Mumble, sing, br murmur, rage, rumble, mock, br quote, mimic, denounce, tell, br tease. Recall, refuse, regret, br reject. Dive, if you dare, into br psychic murk. Down there grab br the slick tail of something quick. br Hold it if you can. Meanwhile, br bellow, bellyache, br cry, or call, for all I care. I care. br Invent like the conning, conniving br poet you are, you lying spitter br of literature, you. Make it for br yourself and fit it to you. You br might as well. Readers, editors, br teachers, preachers, and publishers br aren’t your friends. Other poets br are busy with their own poems br and other problems. Famous poets br are off being remarkable geniuses, br eccentric visionaries, sunken wrecks, br dead, dead-drunk, or pains in the ass. br Say what you see, see what you say, br write it for love and for free. Own what br you write and give it away. Language br will always love you back, so lay br a wet kiss on the words, and when and if br in doubt, remember: what you want br to be is to be writing.