by Carmen Alexander
why must I march
in formation,
falling in line
with tradition?
why should I stride
to your tempo
when I am a drum?
why must you mock
with a closed mind
and open mouth?
are you disturbed
by my rhythm
and secure strut
because I am a drum?
I do not follow
the norm
I lead
I set the tempo
boom-da-boom
I am a unique beat
a-rat-a-tat-tat!
no argument
or ridicule
will change
the fact
I am a drum.
***
Carmen Alexander is a poet, gardener, songwriter, photographer, artist, singer, and self-proclaimed hummingbird nerd. She spent her youth in Almena Kansas, a town with a population of less than 500, and currently resides in Southern California where she writes poetry and song lyrics for her country/rock band. Her poetry incorporates themes of introspection, everyday struggles, loss, empowerment, and appreciation for the small things. Her work appears in redrosethorns magazine, Thistle & Thorn Press, Prairie Dog Press, and carmenalexander.com.
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