James Fenton's lectures on poetry tells us that a very young Stephen Spender asked an equally young Auden if he (Spender) shoud not write prose instead. Auden: You must write nothing but poetry, we do not want to lose you for poetry. Spender: But do you really think I'm any good? Auden: Of course. Spender: But why? Auden: Because you are so infinitely capable of being humiliated. Art is born of humiliation.
Well if Auden's right, I should be a bloody excellent poet, shouldn't I?