BURN (Wattys2015?)

.501

A/N:

So in case you didn't catch on, I temporarily retired BURN, and continued the legacy to its sequel, smoke. But BURN is my baby, and it's so hard to stay away. Problem is, I've exceeded the limit for writing extra parts on the app, so I have to write it online. And it's started to take forever to load. On the app BURN loads so slowly..And even on the website...Because there's so much content!

BURN has been an emotional journey for me. I think I've clearly stated that in my more recent poetry.

I started BURN about a year ago, and I just had a few poems from a while ago. I was working on other projects, and I so badly wanted to write a book. But I lack the skills to commit. <--Fancy way to say I have commitment issues. So, I could never write more than a chapter or two of a book.

I forgot who did it, but one of my friends encouraged me to continue writing poetry. So, I did. And I discovered that poetry was a no-strings attached relationship. There didn't have to be an overlying theme or plot, I didn't feel the need to update everyday. It was a beautiful love affair.

Soon I was absolutely enraptured with writing poetry. I was addicted. Poetry worked as a magnificent release from all my bottled memories and emotions. In case you didn't catch on, I struggle with a lot in life. BURN was my cancer-free cigarette, my legal drug.

I began updating nearly every day. I was a poetry machine, cranking out words that meant a lot to me. Doesn't mean any of my crap was good, because as I've read back...a lot of it sucks.

I never expected anyone else to benefit from BURN. I have always just written just for me. But BURN took off (nearly 100K reads, wow!), and it took me a few hundred poems before I realized that I could potentially make an impact on people.

BURN was never meant to last forever. BURN was a candle burning at both ends, it was not meant to last the night. But oh my friends, and oh my foes, it gives a lovely light. (that's a paraphrase of a poem you should Google).

I'm so attached to BURN, it kills me to finally let it go. It kills me to end it.

But is it really the ending? I don't think so. Ends are just a new beginning of a different era. It's time to metaphorically close this chapter in my life, and start penning an entirely new book.

I've moved on. I've said my goodbyes to my baby, my BURN.

...I'm going to start getting weird, so lemme get to the rest of what I wanted to say.

I've decided to act upon some of the encouragements I've gotten: and attempt getting published. No publisher will even consider someone as unknown as me, so I've been working on getting notoriety.

If you have an Instagram, please go follow @mretozra . I'm using that account to present my poetry to a different platform of readers. Eventually I'll begin sending poetry off to different literary magazines, and maybe I can get featured in an anthology or something.

I've been going through BURN and posting my poetry on IG, and I realize that a lot of my poetry sucks. Majorly. And, I'm full of typos.
But back to it sucking: I have such a long way to go. I've read other poets whose poetry is absolutely amazing, and my poetry pales in comparison. It's made me realize just how much I need to improve. But, like in everything, there's always room for improvement.

I want to thank all of you for your support with me, my poetry, and BURN. I've met so many good people while writing BURN, and I continue to meet new people every day. You all have been such a godsend, with your flattery and love of my poetry.

I have a lot of ghost readers. Those are the people that don't vote/comment. I don't know who you are, I don't know your usernames, I don't know your stories. But I want to let you (and my regular readers) to know that my door is always open.

Meaning my inbox. I probably wouldn't let you in my house IRL.

Feel free to message me, and strike up a conversation or friendship. If you have a problem, I don't mind listening. You might have to bug me and spam me sometimes, because I get busy and forget to reply.

..just if you do message me, please don't hit on me. I probably will ignore you if you do.

Really, I love you all. Thank you so much.

And let me just thank this glorious book. Not glorious because my poetry is good (quite the opposite), but glorious because writing this book has healed me. A healing I don't know if I could have received anywhere else. So, thanks BURN. Thanks for helping me out. Thanks for burning up all that I didn't need and didn't want. You the real MVP.