Because of the tears that flow when some poet pulls words out of my head and my heart.

Because of the laughter that gets stolen out of me when something I know to be true gets said out-loud

Because I can get called out the loudest, and seen the clearest, in the same 3 minutes, and I love that efficiency.

Because I can see people like me, and more importantly, people NOT like me, be taken seriously, and believed without commentary (except for response poems)

Because titles like "Ode to my Strap-on" "They Day You Died Because you Wanted To", and "Lessons Learned from a Third Grader" are all beautiful, for different reasons, that are all valid.

Because when I make my own, I don't need a beat from a producer (though sometimes it helps!)

Because hearing feedback and encouragement and audience participation reminds me of church growing up

Because I gave up on church and I don't get to hear "c'mon, now" spoken by a black lady anymore.

Because Poetry is as diverse as I want the world to be.