Joan Tenner had a talent that evolved at the early age of

sixteen.  She began to write.  Her impressions and thoughts

took the form of poetry.  Through her writings, a sensitive,

try became a needed personal extension of herself to the

world.  Joan’s poetry became her voice that expressed her

ideas, her opinions, and her impressions and reflections of

her world and that of the world beyond her kitchen window as

she washed the dishes, cleaned her house and cared for her

children. 

Joan Tenner’s writings were inspired, early on, by Henry

Wadsworth Longfellow who said, “Come read to me some . . .

simple heartfelt lay to soothes restless feelings . . . . Read from

some humbler poet . . . .“ So, Joan considered her poems as

quite ordinary and simple writings; She became the “Humbler

Poet”!

I am the “humbler poet”

Humble in words and humble in thought

I pen in a simple way,

Whether ever to be read or not.

Both Longfellow and Joan believed that more people would

read more poetry, if they knew they would be able to

understand it and not have to waste time trying to figure out

what the poet was trying to impart. She believed that most of

us would rather know, therefore identify, and relate with the

poet’s words and expand upon them as they are read, making

everyone apart of the poem and even poets themselves.

Who is to say what is pleasing?

Who is to judge what is trite?

The greatest poet on earth might be

A man never taught to write.