Authorial Shame Caroline Zonis

Authorial Shame

Caroline Zonis

I daydream About before, now, and then About things unsaid and undone and improbable The other day I had the privilege of meeting my favorite writer A master of horror and chill Very sheepishly I admitted to the inspiration he’s given me Quite accidentally, I assume With eyes piercing he asks if I do any writing myself And I am ashamed to say I try Yet I do not like the writing of my contemporaries Which leads me to believe my own falls just as flat And being, in my mind, who he is He asks what I am most afraid of “Unoriginality” To write a line uninspired One that means nothing With it being rather difficult to even try And being, in my mind, who he is He says Not everything that is difficult Is worth celebrating