what is a poem?

i am arguing with myself
the worth of my writing.
one part of me says yes!
this poem is good and true
and genuine and beautiful.
it is heartfelt, artful, artless.
the other is not so sympathetic
but feels more honest.
this poem is not bad, but it
is about you. where is the eternal,
the everlasting, the struggle of man
to find God in his breath-long life?
where is the weight of the world?
what is a poem? is this one?
is it merely an artful arrangement
of words with precious line breaks
and little to no punctuation?
does it require deliberate form
determined rhythm
a pre-destined end?
what is a poem that i should be given
the writing of one, or take
its writing upon me?
and how shall i answer
my own questions?