I am a fervent word botherer
And words they do bother me
They roll around inside my head
Until I set them free
They tumble out in rapture
Or sometimes in despair
Often when I look for them
The words they are not there
I sit here at this keyboard
And hope the words will come
At other times they fall so hard
My fingers all go numb
Some people say they like them
Whilst others disagree
Yet, I am not concerned with this
This doesn’t bother me
These poems, this art, these words I see
They come from deep within
They all are part of me.
My prize is to release these words
Then bother them no end
Until they form just what I want
They are my truest friends
These words will never leave me
They’re only out on loan
With such good friends beside me
I’ll never be alone
(c) 2023 PJ.
“Am I Bothered?” is a delightfully self-aware exploration of a writer’s relationship with words. The poem captures the internal dialogue of someone who both loves and is tormented by the creative process. Through playful rhyming verses, it describes how words “roll around inside my head” until they must be set free, sometimes flowing easily and other times proving elusive. The poet acknowledges both praise and criticism with a refreshing indifference, caring only about staying true to their artistic expression.
This poem opens Peter Watson’s collection “Daftness and Other Afflictions,” a warm and witty compilation of verses that examine life’s quirks and complexities through a distinctly Yorkshire lens. Written initially as therapy, these poems evolved into something more – relatable observations about everyday life that make you smile, think, and occasionally catch your breath. If you enjoy poetry that speaks plainly but carries depth, you’ll find yourself returning to these pages again and again.
