I don”t know if this is as much of a poem as it is a stream of consciousness separated into lines.

Regardless, I share it because it feels as true now as it did when I wrote it in July 2009.

The Challenge
by Jonathan Kraft

I would like to live
the life of my dreams
Where our life is fantastic and amazing.
Our life is fantastic and amazing.
But I’m not yet living the life of my dreams.

The life of my dreams
takes more money
than I currently earn.

I was born to be a writer
But writers don’t earn more money
until they become or hire marketers.

I was trained to be a musician
But musicians don’t earn more money
until they become or hire marketers.

I am a poet
But poets don’t become wealthy
in their lifetimes
unless their words are used and credited
by writers and musicians
who are or will become famous and wealthy
because they became or hired marketers.

Therefore, I’m doing what’s unnatural to me
What goes against my grain
And I am becoming a marketer.

I have been for some time now.

It makes me sad.

I believe things, good ideas, people, concepts
should all be able to grow organically
but they just don’t – at least not for me.

I want to be a rainmaker
I want to make things grow
and for that I must become a marketer.

I hope that I’m right about all of this
because sometimes
I feel like I’m losing my spirit
and little pieces of who I am,
in the process.