You start out small;

It’s just a blog

to fill with things

you’re thinking of.

You set it up

and write your first

and thus initiate

the Blogger’s Curse.

When you next log in

your dashboard loads;

There lie your stats

beneath your nose.

With curiosity

you check to see

if anyone has stopped

to read.

The next few entries

you carefully word

to increase the chance

of your thoughts being heard.

But after that

things take a turn;

Your need for views

begins to burn.

You learn the art

of many tags;

There are throngs of

viewers to snag.

You comment on

posts you like

and hope someone

will hit ‘reply’.

A view here and there

is not enough;

Your stats simply must

go up up up!

You try telling the world

your political views

You link and you meme

and you do some reviews

the desire for traffic

really wreaks havoc;

An internet following-

you simply must have it!

You’re checking it daily now;

You update thrice weekly;

Your manual excerpts

are getting quite cheeky

So desperately seeking

blog validation

you embrace all trackbacks

with sheer adulation

You write about sex

just to make it a tag;

You get more views in one day

than your blog’s ever had.

You check out the featured

to see why they’re hot;

You come away confused

as to why they’re the tops.

Then one day it hits you

you’re just one more no-one

if you want to be noticed

you have to be someone

And just before you go getting

lost in the sham

With designs on becoming

the next Natalie Tran -

You realise popularity

is not what you’re after;

That your life is full

of friendship and laughter.

So you write your epiphany

in rhythmic rhyme

and post it as a warning

to all with the time.

All the while knowing

you won’t get one view

because it’s tagged ‘poetry’

and that just ain’t cool.