I often wonder how life would be

without the having the outlet of writing poetry

I'd imagine my days would be full of gloom

I would probably suffocate from holding in these feelings

I don't try to dwell on what ifs

so instead I'd like to dedicate some words

to everyone who ever influenced me to write

thanks to .....

Kendrick Lamar aka my favorite rapper

look him up if you don't know him

he's on my Mount Rushmore of influences

I find myself hypnotized by the music playing

for 3 minutes I'm in awe of the words I hear

my appreciation for lyrics can be traced back to him

I'm a sucker for introspection and deeper meanings

I've never been a puddle

I've always felt more like a river

I want to listen to music that makes me think

a catchy beat is nice but what is it without

meaningful words

I've always secretly wanted to be a rapper

but never could quite get my tongue untied

plus I never liked the sound of my own voice

so being a writer is my best choice

The way Kendrick Lamar raps

is the way my voice sounds in my head

as I'm crafting my words

so if I sometimes come off as braggadocious

That's the inner rapper coming out

I'm still a humble guy from the ville

but I'm self aware enough to realize I have talent

I wanna thank everyone who recognizes that

and I want thank Kendrick Lamar

for his music lighting a fire

inside the usually calm and laid back

always passionate person that I am

I never succumbed to peer pressure

but thanks to you

I became under the Influence .....