WRITING: I wrote a poem!

On the subway ride to class yesterday, I wrote a poem in my notebook. I don't think I've written a poem since elementary school, and you might be able to tell. I picked the syllables per line (5) and subject (my headache) and let it happen.

It went kind of like this:

And here it is:

Each step brings the pain
A curt reminder
That I'll be insane

Choice priorities
New gear and gimmicks
Head not in the knees

The fight for balance
In march and in life
Add to my talents

How was that? *dodges tomato thrown at stage*

Some lines are literal (too literal?), such as the first one. On the other hand, I have no idea what I meant "Head not in the knees." That means it's profound, I think.

What's interesting is next week for class we are reading examples of poetry to get a grasp on how writers use language and the ways it can be manipulated. I've been desiring to read poetry for a while now, specifically The Illiad, but I haven't found a translation I enjoy so far. Almost all of the ones I found have translated it into prose, which I suppose is correct in a way, but I really want to enjoy it as a poem. Really sink my teeth into the words and read something for what it is, that is, words. I don't want to read it passively, either. Just to study the art of word structure and the images that they can invoke on their own without the confines of prose. I'll find it one day.