Who would you influence?

Adrian Mitchell died recently. This was not a name I was familiar with until his death, whereupon I went "Oh God, yeah, I remember that poem!"

This made me question my own writing more than anything in recent times. Who would I really like my poems to leave an impact on? The lovelorn? The lower social classes? Pacifists? Ex-servicemen? I really couldn't find an answer except "Those who have made a stand instead of giving in". All in all, I write poetry purely as a selfish act, and I wonder what others envisage for their works in the future.

I guess the truth is , anybody who happens to read one, Maybe it wouldn't change the world or even that person to a great extent but if it can touch their heart and even soften their outlook toward another just a small amount, I would be happy. I think we have to change things one tiny step at a time! I have had people say to me"your poems make me cry...and I think good, at least they reached the heart!

I looked at this thread early, but I don't really write for people, once in a while I will write for someone as a gift, but for the most part I write for me, if someone happens to read it and like it, great, if they don't like it, great. It is all just a culmination of what gathers inside of me that I feel the urge to write out. If it ever took me somewhere, fabulous, but if it is always just something personal I do for myself, that is good with me too.

I never heard of Adrian Mitchell until The Tasteless posted a thread with one of his poems in out club recently.

Good question and one I never thought about before. I write when I am inspired to usually by events in my life, things going on around me or for a contest of some sort. I would hope that one of my pieces may touch someone, that they could relate to it, learn something, feel inspired or comforted. Nice thread!

It is all just a culmination of what gathers inside of me.......I think that in itself can influence others at times, how many of us have not felt very alone in something we are going through, just to realize that others of this planet share those same feelings and experiences can help us cope, influence our thinking, and change us in some small way. A small revelation about life can leave us with compassion for our fellow man......as if we have"walked a mile in his shoes."

I have written for other people before, most are love tributes to show loved ones what they mean to me and the sad poems are normally a release for myself.
some of my poerty is undeed selfish in that respect but like deana said when people can relate to you, you can have a posative effect on them.

iv always wanted to move people and make them see things in a different light with my poetry, however i dont feel that im at that level yet. so some of my work untill then will b practice and channeled emotions instead.

a very good thread, youve touched on an important subject here.

Everybody, but most importantly my girlfriend though she hasn't read any yet :)

The introspective, depressed, and drug driven teen who thinks to much about the world around him, in us all.

I agree with Unlucky Sun (thread starter), I write selfishly as well. I never write for anyone else, I really write as a way to release my feelings, or to prepare myself for ones I don't yet have. But I guess if my work was ever published, I would want to leave an impression on anyone who read it. That's what a truly great writer can do.

I think I write a lot for those who have no hope in anything, those who don't believe in anything. One of my friends is just a sort of wanderer who hates himself and the world around him. he had terrible parents, he has terrible grades in school, and he basically thinks himself as a useless, terrible person. I would like to change that, and give him something to believe in.

Also, I write a lot for myself.