So what is a poem? Short lines, rhythm and rhyme, vivid imagery, clever metaphors. Metrically constrained or bubblingly surprising. Every word stripped bare or emotions embellished and embroidered. A poem may be any of those--or
something totally different. That is the beauty of it. You may follow all the rules or none of them. Only when your poem has been delivered onto the piece of paper in front of you, born and alive, can you point at it and say: This is a poem. This is what it looks like in my case.
Bring it to the Poetry Cafe. Whisper it in a dimly lit corner. Or shout it from the center stage. Be yourself! Be welcome!