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Anton Kleinschmidt's avatar

Hi Again

We are more alike than you realise.

I beat alcoholism at 45 so give it some thought

Retired at 55

I started writing poetry at about 65

I initially tried to be clever with all the technicalities of poetry. Disaster

Nothing beats Iambic Pentameter if you are trying to talk to the man in the street. The only worthwhile audience

Wrote a lot over the next 10 years

Discarded about 90% of what I wrote. Dreck

Left with about 120 poems in my anthology "Towards Extinction: Boomer Perspectives"

Then started on a happy pill to cope with depression and a cancer diagnosis

The poetry died in an instant which suggested to me that poetry is not always a benign force

Left it all alone for 3 years and can now manage my poetry and publishing thereof on Substack far more dispassionately and enjoyably

Maybe time to cut yourself some slack

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Alexander Kaplan's avatar

Thanks for commenting, Anton. Our stories do have a remarkable number of parallels, ha. I'll make sure and check out some of your stuff!

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Anton Kleinschmidt's avatar

By the way. Your poetry is superb. Wish that I could write like that

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Anton Kleinschmidt's avatar

Thanks Alexander

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