Welcome to the World Class

First I want to express my sincere gratitude to you all
for tolerating my presence
even though I never promised to be nice.
 

You are all fine poets, and some of you are gifted.
Let me remind you: you can feel when it's good stuff.
I appreciate our meetings,
and am honored by the privilege of your invitation.
It feels best when we hug.
 

Tonight is a watershed, you might want to rethink things.
You might find there is a down side
to having a middle-aged poet with a wild look in his eye,
hang out with you.
You may wonder if the phrase, corrupting the youth,
means something scary.
 

Tonight you'll witness me when I'm really working.
Sit firmly, gazebo people, because the place might move a bit.
Keep a tight ass-hole, because tonight Uncle Johnny's gonna show you how it's done.
 

I am a master of my craft but that's not exactly poetry.
You get to look over my shoulder as I change a few rules.
That doesn't happen every day, not everybody gets to see this.
If anybody asks if this is authentic just laugh.
 

Persons of my particular religious persuasion,
or shall we say, my specific spiritual vocation,
use these techniques when we're not trying to be entertaining,
when we're not playing games,
when we're not fooling around,
when we're getting a job of work done.
Take hold of your emotions, because this is gonna be what
you call strong medicine.

---

Whither?

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