“I don’t try to be prophetic, as I don’t sit down to write literature. It is simply this: a writer has to take all the risks of putting down what he sees. No one can tell him about that. No one can control that reality. If there is no moral question, there is no reason to write. The bottom line is this: You write in order to change the world, knowing perfectly well that you probably can’t, but also knowing that literature is indispensable to the world. In some way, your aspirations and concern for a single man in fact do begin to change the world. The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by an inch, the way a person looks or people look at reality, then you can change it.” By: James Baldwin

About Me
Thank you for patronizing my poetry! I’m an invoker, a satirist and social justice analyst. My favorite topics of discussion are Religion, Culture and Politics, in that specific order. Every debate starts with relativity and is eventually settled, when it comes back around to the underlying universal truth. I’m curious to a fault and utilize poetry to discover and explain the purpose and meaning of life through the human experience and condition.

Why Poetry
Plato argued that poetry is morally suspect and should be expunged from a perfect society. However since we don’t live in a perfect world, I’m going with Aristotle’s rebuttal that creative endeavors like poetry and drama provide the beneficial purging of emotions through the performing arts. Writing is therapeutic for me and sometimes, I’m pleasantly surprised, when a simple theme morphs into a masterpiece. But all kidding aside, the motivation behind poetry is that poets still believe, we can fix the world, and make it better, one person at a time.

Writing Style
My poems contain symbols, metaphors, satire and the occasional cliché. Since I’m not a Purist, I write in a free-verse and social commentary style. I’m an idealist at heart, so in the interest of time and in order to convey the message, I employ ambiguity as a poetic device to fill in the gaps. In layman terms, this allows the reader to determine his/her own conclusion. Because at the end of the day, people only see, what they want to see, and close their eyes to the rest.

Poetry Tips
Try to be concise in your writing and remove as many redundant words as possible. Do not give into the temptation of going off on a tangent, in order to create a subplot or minor point; stay on course, you’re a specialist not a generalist. Remember that a short poem is more to the point than a long winded one. Avoid using adverbs and adjectives that don’t add necessary color or tone to your statement. If an expression doesn’t make an impact after adding a modifier to it, does it really need it? If you are using a metaphor, it is not necessary to define it. It is better to be ambiguous, then to have to explain your plot with a simile. A hook is more important, then rhyming words. Always maintain your integrity, by being authentic with your feelings. If you are the protagonist or antagonist in your story, do not switch sides (stay in character), otherwise you will be perceived as incoherent. Do not transition your voice, or play the devil’s advocate, unless it is necessary for the moral of the story. Do not become discouraged if your poetry is not well received—most of mine are base hits, home runs are few and far between.

Considerations
Please note that I’m not well-versed in subjects and topics that are taboo, indecent or against traditional Christian-core beliefs. I encourage everyone who likes my poems to post them on social media and share them with family and friends. Kindly include a by-line under the title: By: elroypoet.com © 2023 (reprinted with permission). I sincerely thank you for visiting my blog.

Editorial Disclaimer: I am a liberal media blogger. Even though I am a First Amendment proponent and opposed to banning the free flow of new ideas, I will not tolerate incendiary rhetoric against our Constitution. Therefore I am progressive news biased, because our democracy demands it. There is no room in America for failed ideologies like fascism or communism. All citizens should shun rabble-rousers or radicals who dare speak against our sacred republic or blaspheme our founding fathers’ vision.