sneaking up on inspiration

here she comes again,

wandering the cafe

on moondream nights,

entreating the young poets

 

poems should not mean,

but be

 

she smiles and nods

coyly

as if she thought of it herself

 

and grins

at the distinguished gentleman

all alone in the corner,

he scribbles harder

on his napkin

and she floats along

intent on asking

no one in particular

 

but what does the poem do?

 

the school girls giggle a little

at the spectacle

content with their cunning words

 

and the modern, young poet

extemporizes on the quality of language

and the art of knowing

and she stops and leans forward

just as if she was telling

the most important secret

 

don't carry crosses you never met

tell your own story

 

the artist smiles a little,

paints a picture in his mind

of words meeting metal

as she searches still for a muse

that will lead her by the hand

and dance her home

Author's Note

foolishness, laughing at my own foolishness

Reviews

[TamiViolet]

beautiful and heartfelt, Emily although I can't help but wonder where you acquired the words for this one... :-) 'poems should not mean,/ but be'... love it!!! And how true, for poetry is definitely not genre of exact science where 2+2=4. Creativity shows no bounds.... I could envision an experienced poet leading home one who has lost her way... Love it.

[bluessadmood]

this was so beautiful words ,i really could not comment..
you read but you could not tell about these words you just imagine whats behind
and like a dream it makes all the sense in the world to you,still you could not tell
i loved each and every word,how you told some pretty story about poetry,and inspiration
this was just too much ,too much beauty here ,really
lovely write..

[Donald Meikle]

And so easily too laughing all the way as he leads you on, playing in your mind like an imp of perfection. Doncha just love muses?

[Siddhartha]

Oh, this one feels like an empathetic and intimate biography of poetry, poets and their craft. You cover a lot of ground here Emily and lend a voice to each one of us and I don't think it is foolishness at all.

[Robin]

I have read so much great poetry today , and this one of them , every line a poetic treasure .

[An Ordinary Woman]

as always your words have heart and soul, I love this for the intent and the message. It's beautiful sweet and precious.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

There are many forms of poetry. And many styles contained within those forms. Didactic poetry teaches...it was practiced by Ovid and poets before him and I am very fond of the form myself. I am entertained by the nonsensical as much as anyone and I'm not void of a sense of humor but the basis of language is communication and if we say that communication (including poetry) should have no "meaning" then all poetry and written word (including laws, histories, religions and all other forms) become useless because they are meaningless. I've never been a big fan of beat poetry except some of McKuen's romantic meanderings which are simple but clever. I like simple verse with a message. And I (of course as you know) love rhyme...but I hate nothing more than a "bad rhyme" or forced rhyme. So rhyme is a double-edged sword of sorts to me. I love internal rhyme and use of alliteration. But I guess it boils down to personal preference and taste. There are those who love Lear and Nash...others say they were hacks poking fun at respectable poetry. As for "being" and not "meaning"...does that mean as human "beings" our lives ought not to have meaning? I'd love to pose that question to Archibald! lol This was fun to read and as I said...EVERYTHING is open to interpretation and taste.

[Sel Whiteley]

A powerful poem talking about the role of poetry, the existentialism of poetry, going beyond the too strict rubric. Creativity is central and only expressed by freeing ourselves through our words. I must concede, I sometimes find it hard though to know where my story/cross ends and my friends begin. But I know exactly what you're saying and you have given your voice to showing how you craft your beautiful, most elegant and astoningly stunning poems.

[Ed Hart]

you pinned the tail on that donkey

[arbitrary jane]

such a visual.
and those lines - don't carry crosses you never met
and she in her soft, lilting, southern voice like melted sunlight; entreating all the distinguished gentlemen... when she carries the secret all along.

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

purrfect~poetically heart stringly PURRfect