Noticing Newbies

I am a retired manager. I was in VN in '68-'69, did 6 years in the Marines. I still work part time and once in a while get out a fly rod for some lawn casting. I hope to wet a line some day. I started writing poetry in the service. I got tired of writing friends back home just boring letters. I found I could write a poem on almost any subject given a prompt or challenge. This is years later and I have dusted off my pen and started up again. I only write poems that rhyme. Just me!. Often I just create a poem after a catchy phrase comes to mind. I write from personal experience. I have a love interest so I write her about our relationship. I have no formal training so my poems can be 3 pages or 10 lines. They always rhyme so I do not know what you call that but it's what is. I like it. I recently wrote a funny one that my friend and all of her friends really liked. "I should submit it!". Right!. You all know how that went. So I am here to learn the rules, encourage and be encouraged. I read a lot instead of tv so I am news deprived but don't mind. I work out 5 days a week and may write about that soon. So I am as healthy as I can be for my age, generally happy and life is good. I am glad to be here. Thanks for accepting me, Rick