No Other Reason, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB/META and @Brianrrs37)

It is folly, and futile
To chase utopias
When creativity

Is what you want
The world to see
Your name in lights
On a marquee

It is not
The reason to be
A miserable life

Is in store for thee
If the expectation
Is that fantasy

If you just
Put it down
If you just

Swim around
Somehow, somehow
Someday, you’ll be found

Hollywood and Vine
On dead careers it dines
To never get off the ground

If you sing that note
That makes tears flow
If you write the prose

Who knows, who knows?
It cannot be, the fantasy
You chase for dreams of wealth

It cannot be, the fantasy
That everyone wants
An autograph from thee

Poetry, is at least for me
And will always be
The love of it alone

My payments not cash
Or cars of flash
Or travel first class

For there are millions
Like me, in history
Most unknown

And will never be, famous.
(end)

If you love doing something, by all means do it, don’t stop doing it. But poetry, like painters, like comedians, like sports stars, like actors, like musicians, most do not become nationally famous or world famous or rich.
If you write poetry, you have to do it for the love of if alone, the therapy. That has to be first. Now, maybe someday you defy the odds and some publisher notices you who can put you on the map. But the vast majority, no. That will not happen for most.

So always write from the heart for you, and your readers first. Do it for the therapy first. And if all you can do is write on your off time, or in your retirement and others get joy and therapy out of it. THAT is your first reward, and your most important reward.