any poem can be read
but are you listening to the words
how can you tell what it just said
how do you know if you understood it at all

how do you know whether it impacts you or not
how do you know if it makes you move
how do you know what its saying to you
how do you know which path to choose

when do you get the message
does it take you a few tries
do you keep an open mind
or do you just say everything is lies lies lies

do you know what you want
what are you looking to find
are you looking to broaden your experiences
or expand your mind

if your looking for answers
i can't tell you them myself
i don't know what they are
but i can tell you something else

poems won't give you answers
poetry is simply a key
what you must ask yourself is
how do i find the answer within me

how do i know if i feel it inside
what can i do to help myself decide
i wont find the answer in a books many pages
or by reading about life's many stages
i haven't found the answer yet
but i know reading is definitely not my best bet
ink and paper cannot bring out my soul
only the energy in each piece of cereal in the bowl

but if poetry can set you free
then i guess poetry does open the door
so ill use the poet within me
to open it a little more