I took to poetry from loving sound
of language, and what meter does to me.
I wasn’t over seven when I found
I took to poetry.

My mother tried to stifle energy
expressing any feelings – always frowned
or snapped, or showed disdain impatiently.

“Oh, can it,” she’d declare. Her speech was crowned
with “nonsense,” “stupid” – she’d no sympathy.
So big surprise – I grew up stanza-bound.
I took to poetry.

(Roundel)