I think there are similarities between visual artists and poets. And I understand if the artists are a little leary of the comparison. People can knock out some words that rhyme and call themselves a poet.Like this ditty, that I only read to prove the point.

The time of now is fleeting

My love is retreating

Back to you

Life drains from every extremity

makes your heart the priority

Where art takes time and effort and techniques. Which good poetry does as well. But art also takes money for supplies. However, I think anyone that makes creativity their vocation- artist and writers have an advantage over other people. Our art makes us ready to take in the world with all our senses and be ready to savor it. As artists we open ourselves to look at the world with awe.  Awe leads to gratitude.

Then when we sit down to write poetry or create art We are intentional with making a work of art that is vibrant and beautiful. our work itself is the poetry of a joyful act. It’s a way to savor the good in our lives.

And if we are dealing with a painful subject which art often does, it promises to be cathartic. Here’s how I see the act of poetry to be similar to artists. Often poets begin with sad events. We take something raw and ugly and shape it into something powerful. I believe that is a way to take power over the bad events in our lives. Instead of just living with the raw material of an event, we shape it into art. The poet molds pain like a lump of clay and changes it .