The Music Maker

sometimes I wonder if I am really me
or a just compilation of the greatest hits from Hughes and Baldwin
or a re-released recording of
"Amiri Baraka
Live from the Apollo"
bits and pieces of Brooks
Angelou
The Last Poets
or a collection of unknown writers thrown together 
in some far flung attempt to feed the hungry kids with leftovers from the night before

am I to shop my demo around
as a merchant in some Caribbean marketplace
or on the street from the trunk of my used car
hoping that it makes it into someone's top Spotify
Pandora
or Apple Play list?
 
sometimes I wonder if I am really me
a poet
or just an artist doing live shows today
touring the oldies circuit tomorrow
bloated
in a sparkly used tuxedo
and later reduced to a footnote in literary history