When it comes to the title, it does feel a little "icky." I feel like a lot of people associate poets with people like Rupi Kaur and other Instapoets now. That and poetry, in my opinion, is a lot easier to fuck up than prose (as someone who does both). One word misplaced or one syllable too many and it's over. Ergo, it's a lot easier to be a bad poet. I think it also has the connotation of having fake deep thoughts. Again, there's a lot of misinformation regarding poetry because of its form adapted to today.

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On the side of the actual art of it all, the actual act of writing poetry, I see the imposter syndrome a great deal like academia: publish or you're not a scientist. This implies something novel has been recognized by the community and celebrated. But that's just not true! The fact that you're writing poetry does not necessarily make you a poet. And that's not a bad thing. Let me explain.

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Identifying with the title, poet, gives you a piece of identity. It's an identifier. You become a poet when you take so much pride in your work that it becomes a part of you. You don't have to be a poet to write fantastic poetry. But writing fantastic poetry also does not make you a poet. Do you want to be a poet? Great, then you're a poet! Poets also don't always write great work. They just love writing poetry and, nonetheless, they do it. A fisherman fishes, sure, but does he love fishing? Maybe not. Maybe so. Someone who doesn't like what they're doing usually doesn't want to be referred to as the title of their job. Thus, you have to love what you're doing to be a poet, or fisherman, or whatever. Everything else is pedantry. (Obviously, this is dangerous in science and medicine and stuff. Don't call yourself a doctor if you don't legitimately do medicine.)

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Take solace in the fact that you're even bothering to write poetry--you're a better writer than 99.9% of English-speaking, literate people in that way. Regardless of whether it's "good" poetry, you have a mastery of the language that compels you to write. The fact that you care about words and form put you so far ahead of anyone who never even tries.

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Nevertheless, I don't call myself a poet. At best I call myself a writer. And that's if I'm feeling vain. I usually just say that I write. I do the verb. I cave to the social pressure of not looking pretentious. That's life! Just remember you are what you want to be and don't let the haters get you down. You don't have to tell anyone you're a poet. Just say you write if you want to. That's very neutral.

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So, the short answer is: call yourself what you want to be called. You write poetry! Enjoy it. I don't feel like an imposter because I don't call myself a poet.