Willie Nelson Reflects on How He Became a Musician and Shares the Poems He Was Penning From a Young Age. ML

Before becoming a musician, Willie Nelson wrote poems. Thankfully, he remembers the first poem he ever wrote, and it foreshadowed his rise as an outlaw singer perfectly.

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A few years ago, in 2021, Willie Nelson sat down with Dan Rather on AXS TV. There, Nelson was asked how he got into playing music, which led to his first-ever poem. He was an outlaw before it was cool.

When asked about his start in music, Nelson responded, “Well, I’ve always loved music, and I grew up with me and my sister, Bobbie, playing piano.”

So while Bobbie Nelson played piano, Willie was sat right next to her, playing alongside her. Their musical leaning must have been well-noted by their family, as soon his granddad got him a gift of his own.

“At the same time, my granddad got me an old Harmony guitar, so I started playing.” Having his own instrument to practice on when he saw fit must have been liberating.

Nelson didn’t mull on the musical beginnings for too long, however, as he quickly shared his love for poetry at a young age. “But, you know, I’ve been writing poems since I was seven or eight years old,” he continued.

Willie Nelson’s First-Ever Poem Is As Outlaw As It Gets

Hilariously, Willie Nelson’s first poem established him as an outlaw. It turns out the signs were all there from a very young age.

Thankfully, Nelson remembered the poem, and was able to recite it perfectly. It goes like this:

Why you lookin’ at me for?
I ain’t got nothin’ to say.
If you don’t like the looks of me,
Just look the other way.

“Not bad for a six-year-old,” he said, which I’m sure everyone can agree on.

It’s a simple poem, but it has as much character as the great ones. His capabilities as a country and outlaw writer have been fostered since such an early age. So it’s no wonder he’s still going strong.

All we need now is for all of Nelson’s early poems to be released.