Who Grows Poetry?

Does poetry grow the poet - or the poet, poetry?

I’ve thought about this many times it often puzzles me

When William Butler Yeats sat thinking in his writing chair

I wonder what inspired “cloths of heaven” to appear.. 

Those sonnets from Neruda, all those odes to love and life

were lovingly created because he adored his wife

I think most poetry’s triggered by experiencing life -

- by times of sad, and times of glad, of turmoil and of strife?

Reading through the history of those poets now long gone

The more I read their poetry the more I get turned on

But one day if the question ever should be asked of me

Did poetry grow you poet? Or did you grow poetry?

I’ll pause just for an instant before I simply smile and say

“I haven’t found the answer yet so kindly go away”….