Art is an Inspiration Card by Diane Sherman
Want me to read this poem to you?
A humbling pattern starts to emerge
It cripples success and stifles my urge
When the end of a project is finally near
Instead of triumph, I'm dealing with fear
It's not that I think the project is crap
It just that I can't quite call it a wrap
The reason, my friend, in case you have missed
I'm seeking perfection which doesn't exist
The inner critic has decided to show
His moment has come to deliver a blow
He does it so well, he knows what to say
To get me to freeze, to keep me at bay
He makes me feel crappy for all I have done
"It's shit," he says, and takes all the fun
The fear is nameless, unjustified terror
It makes me believe it all was an error
So instead of deciding which tasks are at hand
I work on a different project I planned
I'm good at beginning and starting the work
When it comes to completing, I'm just a big joke
I'm writing this now at the end of my rope
I'm out of excuses, but wait -- there is hope
By quitting this project, I'm surely to sob
Might as well do it, and finish the job
I can't really fail by completing the climb
So quitting is not an option this time
I've decided I'll do it, I'll go the whole way
No matter the critic, I'm launching today!