an apology to those who came before

oh, langston hughes,
i know i'll never
be like you.
and ms. emily dickinson,
please forgive me
for the sins
i have committed
under the name of
poetry.
sylvia plath,
i saw your footprints
in the dirt
and tried to chase them,
but i realize now
all along
i was on the wrong path.
allen ginsberg,
father?
no, you couldn't be,
but whoever you are--
cousin? no--
i hope you can forgive me, too.
i am a fool,
i know,
but my pen
refuses to
stop.