there is something about art
that is innovative
the first steps
before it’s popular
famous
well known
and marketable

the first playground is a desert
where seldom someone plays
and if s/he does
there’s hardly someone else

the first art is a miracle
it catches the genius
takes it and tries
to make it seen
for others
to enjoy
the wonder of a painting
the joy you feel
about prose
the timeless enthusiasm
for music

the first playground is the peak of a mountain
where seldom someone stays
and if s/he does
there’s hardly someone else

but after the first of its kind
there come the hyenas
they take
what’s not theirs
they call it inspiration
when it’s actually just theft
they call it admiration
when the originator is left
with just his work alone
and not the laurels
instead s/he’s thrown
into the next puddle

the last playground is a swamp
where all the copycats play
and when they do
they’re hardly there to stay.

        © Dominik Alexander / 2023