Without the occasional poem, I would, sometimes, be rendered speechless...totally incommunicado.'Clothing' my thoughts & feelings poetically enables me to express 'where I'm at' in a way that regular prose doesn't. I feel safe within my poem; safe enough to write about things I would NEVER place in the public domain in prose. "...a poet of truth", that goes right to the heart of the matter, Donuel. My 'truth' & your 'truth' will always differ, but there are many similarities & commonalities in us all to which a poem may speak. Pete's post above is a perfect exemplar of just that. Yes, I write for myself, but also in the hope that my words will have meaning for you too.
                                 With Love to you all,
                                                                Nigel.