“What do we want?
Immortality!
When do we want it?
Now!”
—from “The Poets March on Washington” by James Cummins
But seriously…what do we want for our poetry? What do we want it to do? Not that it has to do anything, of course. It can be only for ourselves if that’s what we want—Emily Dickinson ordered that all of her poems be destroyed after her death. We only have them because someone ignored her wishes.
I’m running into this question more and more since I’ve begun sharing my work at readings and preparing actual submissions. I find that my process of revision feels different when I am anticipating reading the poem out loud to a group, as opposed to thinking only about submitting it in written form.
Beyond this, I want to think about how I’d like my poetry to affect other people. Do I want it to help someone understand something? Do I want to make someone feel less alone? Or do I want, in the end, just to give others bits of the oh-yes-I-don’t-know-why-but-yes feeling I get when a poem speaks to me?
If I am sharing my poetry only to get fortune (ha!) or fame (slightly less vehement ha!) or even just to get appreciation and positive ego stroking, I’ll set myself up for disappointment.
What is your fantasy about your poetry’s role?
Lori Lynne Armstrong 
I’m so glad that you are reading your poetry aloud and submitting it for publication. Wish I could hear your voice reading your poems, but realize that publishers want original work not previously shared online. Too bad. Loss for those of us who’d love to read your poetry now. Wish you the best.