Artists aren't born, they're just well practiced

The Ones who just sit down

for the very first time

         at the piano

                or

         at the easel

and can just play

          or          

          just paint

from their own imagination;

they aren't the creative ones!

They are savants,

anomalies,

and slightly unlucky.

They will never know the feeling of:

A.) Having the balls to even pursue creative endeavors no matter how many people respond to your new career goals with the phrase; "Don't you have a degree? Maybe you should do something with that..."

B.) Accepting the fact that you, personally, are a copycat hack who hates your own work.

C.) That there might be hope for you yet.

To be an artist is to be obsessed with something you love and know you're no good at....not yet anyway.

For now you enviously glare at another student

as he masters a technique that has been evading you.

You curse your own body, not for its mortality or aesthetics  

but for not moving how you tell it to.

You become a slave, obsessed;

         your desire and dedication actually manifest

and FINALLY

         you create a beautiful curve

         or the perfect color green

        or hit that note just right.

Your giddiness is uncontrollable.

You want everyone else around you to see

        and listen

     and feel the elation of this progression.

When you know you should be bored

        or annoyed

        or over it

        or checking your email

You aren't.

You're compulsively honing a skill

       you never needed

       and always wanted.