[Julie Steiner]

I don't self-identify as a poet, because that would defeat the purpose of having a pseudonym, which is to prevent people I know in real life from objecting to my portrayals of them, or to my political and religious views.

But I don't think self-identifying as a poet is pretentious. Unless, of course, you feel the need to upgrade that to the self-congratulatory terms published poet or award-winning poet. Ugh.