Verifying Circumstances

One writer uses this phrase

Where someone else might have used

Supportive community

Or affirmative context—

That is, to suggest somewhere

A writer is encouraged

To write, to be a writer,

Somewhere writing is noble

Or at least admired labor.

Verifying hints distrust,

Fact-checking, certificates,

ID cards, permission slips.

Circumstances indicate

Transitory happenstance.

But maybe the writer slipped,

Unintentionally spoke

Another truth—where writing

Is affirmed and encouraged,

Writers likely congregate,

And to be a writer there

Among so many writers

Is to be compared and judged—

A lot of verifying,

Under the circumstances.