Ever go back and look at really old writing of yours?

I come from a family that was blessed (or is it cursed?) to be savers.  So I’ve got writing all the way back to elementary school.  Some of it’s not that bad.  But some of it elicits involuntary cringing. I had a pretty good run of trying my hand at things through my first real job.  A lot of short poetry, even a couple of song lyrics. (I tried writing one tune but it suffered from me also singing it. There’s a tape recording of it somewhere.)

I’ve been around enough writers to have heard that when the idea comes, it gets a hold and doesn’t let go easily.  I don’t know that I’ve ever truly experienced that.  The only solution is to keep trying.