Young Emerging Poet Writes About Love

This entry will be a little different from the usual content you find on Not Fake News because it's about a young man I met one night in Best Buy who expressed interest in this blog. I was wearing my Not Fake News ball cap, so he asked me about it.

Anthony was curious, asked a lot of questions about what I write about, how and why I started this blog, and about my long career as a journalist and writer. We talked until a manager caught his eye and he said he needed to get back to work. That was a couple months ago.

Last week my cellphone rang and it was Anthony. "You might not remember me, but we talked in Best Buy a few weeks ago and I told you about my poetry," he said. "I'm wondering if you would take a look at it and tell me what you think."

Anthony told me that he had written several poems about, and to, his girlfriend and he would like to find a way to publish them. He was worried about protecting his work, however, and declined to email his poems to me so I could review them.

So today we met in the Best Buy parking lot, with Anthony and I sitting in my car as I read through one of his poems. I was surprised at the depth of his writing, about the emotion that was there, about his deep feelings for his girlfriend.

"Man, you are in love," I said to him after reading his poetry. "She's really got you."

"She does. She has my heart. Now it's up to her to protect it," he replied.

I told him his poetry was good, that he has talent, that he needs to pursue his writing. I suggested he set up a website to post his work as a beginning. He liked that idea, and will probably do that.

Why am I telling you this story? Because in the brief time I spoke with Anthony, it was clear to me that he is sincere and that his work is worthy. When I see that in an aspiring writer, I like to encourage it.

Anthony is a Not Fake News subscriber and I simply want to encourage him to use his talent. Perhaps some day we will publish something he's written right here on this site.

Stay with it Anthony.

#Love