You don’t have to publish it in order to make it worthwhile, writing poetry for its own sake is perfectly valid. Not even the most prolific writers in history ever published everything they wrote.

There once was a poet at home

Who’d not write a verse of his own

No poem was made

So none was displayed

Unwritten, unpublished, unknown

Some people write novels and epics to never be seen. Some people build castles that only they will ever step foot in.

The urge to monetize or publicize everything is toxic, i think. I spend a lot of time writing or doing ttrpg design because i enjoy the activity.

Yes. Some of it I’ve put online or submitted to journals, but most is just for me and my loved ones.

Poetry, music, entire books, video games…

I’m really good at starting shit; terrible at finishing shit.

I think that’s fine.

I write books when I feel a need to do something creative, I’ve never published any of them. Its simply a means to exercise creativity.

I’ve written countless songs. Recorded some with my band back years ago but never published. I’ve toyed with the idea of submitting the lyrics for fair use somehow but never got around to it.

I wrote a short story type thing during my summer vacs which i was very proud of lol, it was incomplete tho and read more like some part from a novel (not the same quality but like u get it), however never shared it to anyone coz was embarrassed of what others wud think of the idea of the story even tho i was proud of it myself

It’s perfectly okay to write things just for yourself. Healthier than average behavior I would even argue

I paint and sketch and do not want people to ever look at them. I assume poetry can be the same.

Nothing wrong with doing things for only your own enjoyment.

You don’t have to try to measure up to others, or have to be great, or sell your hobbies as a side hustle. They’ve always been got enjoyment first.

A little bit, yeah. I think it’s actually really common, for a variety of reasons. Some people just do it as a time-filler, or a self-reflection exercise, or just for pure creative pleasure. They may feel no need to share it at all, or may want to share it but aren’t sure how.

I’d say if you’re in the latter camp, most places I’ve been have at least a small literary scene, with open readings, zine exchanges, or even small publishers. If you want to, you can go out and meet the other weirdos sharing their stuff, and I think there’s value in doing so in meatspace.

But if you want to write poems purely for the pleasure of the activity, or whatever other personal purpose, that’s 100% valid. There are worse ways to fill time.

I’ve wrote some poems, usually in English, and just shared them out with my friends but not much beyond that.

I think they’re good, I just have trouble approaching the spotlight, even though I want my work to be seen.

Yes. Usually for my wife. And usually it’s terrible free verse.

99.999% of everything I write never gets read. Sometimes I share with one or 2 people. I just started writing seriously in the last three years or so, and have only been vaguely confident for the last 1.5 years.