Poetry

It amazes me how some people can spout out poetry without apparently much thought. A friend is running an informal themed poetry competition in which he picks a topic and its open to anyone to respond with poetry on that topic. I read the responses that come in and they are staggering. I couldn't possibly come up with what is produced. It just isn't in me. My own meager contribution on this blog is the only one I've ever done and that was done in an odd time for me. I suppose we all express ourselves differently, but to know so many people who are able to communicate effectively in that medium makes me wonder if I'm missing something. Is the ability to create verse innate? I know it's not easy to be a poet and that to be good at it you have to proactice and develop but it appears that some people are a lot better at it than others. If I had to do it, I'd have to really struggle to put something decent together.