To live, to write, to strive... for cherries

A few well placed words
And the cherries will come
They said.

Some grit, a touch, a twist
Just follow the rule of thumb
They said.

So I pulled it out the bag
I worked it hard, too hard,
Took a breather,
Returned anew,
And tore right through...
Energy and pace
Voracious
Pen and ink all down my face
Until a shining emblem
Of all that I had thought
Was now a work
I felt
I loved
I knew

Submitted it in silence
A hunter laying bait
Slunk into the bushes
And there I lay in wait.

...

One read, then another
Surely just a second more
But that was it
My number up
My boat had washed ashore

And there it sat
An embarrassing carpet stain
A squeak instead of howling at the moon
A shrivelled, withered balloon