Toxic

A Poem by Ken Squires

I look out my window and see a fresh layer of snow blanketing as far as my eyes can see
Untouched by human, untouched by wildlife

Similar to a fresh page in a notebook that remains untouched when you first turn to it
Giving the user the freedom to do what they wish with it

To draw or to write, to create at ones own will.

But sometimes just sometimes things turn toxic

It takes words that are expressing a scenario and twist them up

Twist them to the point of making others look like a joke

If I said I was Jewish would they tell me that being Jewish was wrong too ?

Since people who don’t know me want to dictate how my life should be

They want to tell me how to live my life
To what ?, make them happy ?

When clearly they have joined a community that is used to showcase ones abilities in the arts
Then turn things toxic from minute one

Jealous much ?, I believe they are.
It tells me that I’m talented, they are talentless since they can relate to what I write
No wonder writing communities are a dime a dozen
Plus most of them don’t last, since every so often you get people trying to dictate what gets posted.

Yet another community of artists attempting to thrive
But is getting dragged down by the negative impacts of it’s users

I’ve always been against these communities, they do more harm than good

They discourage writers more than they encourage
They don’t improve ones writing, or the technique but instead tells them what they aren’t allowed to write about

It’s sad really to see writing communities go this way

People in these communities aren’t worth my time
Consider this my Hello, Consider this my Goodbye

The talentless shall stay, the talented shall go to greener pastures.

I have levelled up, I have learned in a short time my work exceeds the rest

I continue to look for equals who look for a community to thrive in.

For each writer to help out the fellow writer
Since isn’t that what we’re all here for

Thinking I was wrong on what is a community

A community is inviting
Not toxic
I do communities
I don’t do toxic

Ken