Writing to speak or hide?

Hi guys! So recently, I shared a few of my poems with someone outside of PnQ. He said he feels like he understands me better because I was honest in my poetry, yet it was hard for me to explain the feelings behind the poetry. It was hard for me to decipher everything or confront it. He also raised the point that while that's good to write and express one's self on paper, it can also be seen as an easy way out. I'm choosing to "vomit" all my pain onto paper instead of properly addressing what's hindering me behind the words or asking why I feel that way. I thought this was interesting (and eye-opening). I do mostly write in the moment yet never go back and completely solve the problem. Instead, it comes back or it's a continuous feeling I don't know what to do with.

Thoughts? Do you think writing is an act of courage, to speak up, or are there times when the paper needs to be forgotten and one must verbally communicate to be better understood?

Many of my more harsh critics have accused me of forcing rhyme ,but the pun is even if I am not sure what the answer to the issue is, if the reason in rhyme or rhythm of my heart does not lead me... the Holy Spirit will

edit ...then again there are times I just want to vent lol

Writing is indeed an act of courage, MaryAnne. It takes a lot of courage to be that vulnerable and show your inner most self to the outside world. That is how it feels to me, at least. It is not always possible to address the issues with the people the words are directed to, and then writing can serve as a healing exercise. Writing is also art and can touch the heart of others.
Maybe if saying things out loud is too difficult, then write your thoughts down in a poem and hand it to the person in question, if possible:)

For myself, writing is a process of working things out.
Maybe it doesn't get done at once, but eventually it gets there.

Writing - poetry in specific , is for spiritual growth ... for knowledge.

So writing not to speak nor hide, but writing to know.

Thank you guys for responding, love your beliefs on this and it really brings new perspective.

And Luce, I believe it is for spiritual growth too.

I think writing can open the door for us to work out our problems, but as you said Larry, with time. Eventually, we'll get there especially if it is a pressing issue.

For me, sometimes it can be the "safe way" for my heart to talk, instead of opening up to a person. Then again, I usually internalize things and that's not always good. That's why I was surprised that this person I gave my poems to looked so deeply into it, he's connecting it with my personality.

It's a relief though that writing can be a constant for us all, even writing what we do not know or what we can't name, can help us grow. Make sense of life. Of our feelings.

Holy smokes.

Writing is my therapy. I write and can come back to it the next day (or week, whatever..) and realize what is on my heart. Sometimes I have so much going on that I don't have the ability to sit and decipher what emotion I am feeling over another..

So writing, or any art expression I use, really helps me. I frequently go back and read some old poems and say yep, I wrote this because xyz was happening in my life. As I'm writing it I generally don't understand..until I go back. Then I can really piece it together.

Yeah, Britt, I get that a lot.
I also go back and realize for the first time that problems I had were expressed in my poetry before I was fully aware of them.