a wealth of nothing

a wealth of nothing

 

 

 

how much would this poem cost

if I wrote it?

we could haggle over intellectual property

 

I could patent the title

put the last line in a lock box

and bank on you reading me

 

into your heart

but I cannot afford your affection

you've priced it out of my range

 

I am just a poor sinner

too poor to express

 

my tongue is rank

of syllabic distaste

 

I grip firmly my bottle of what's it

pour it over the empty page

 

and close my account...

insufficient relevance.

 

 

erin-cilberto

2/21/22

Reviews

[Patricia Wedel]

dearest Jacob… I worked in Intellectual Property Law Firms in Washington, DC. For years; I typed many Specifications for Chemical Patents and other Venues… I understood the Laws and met people from other Countries who got a good deal when filing in 5 or 7 Countries as a Package. Trademarks and Copyrights were interesting… however your Poem is embedded in my Heart 💜 as a Keepsake. tenderly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Wow, Pat...I bet that was most interesting work...
thank you for sharing.
fondly,
read moreWow, Pat...I bet that was most interesting work...
thank you for sharing.
fondly,
j.

[Sami Khalil]

You are wealthy indeed in my book; your talent is priceless. I know a good bank to deposit the wealth of emotions: The heart. So please don't close your account. Might you consider crypto...just kidding...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you are very kind, Sami...very encouraging.
j.

[Sami Khalil]

Thank you. You are mightily welcome.

[Mike Keenan]

I like the title with its Zen-like significance and the fact that you demonstrate that money does not equal talent.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Mike,
j.

[light and ashes]

Love how your mind works, Jacob..a wealth of nothing, brilliant.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, light.
j.

[light and ashes]

You are very welcome.

[William Michael Reeves]

The price of your poem is my attention.99 not quite a full dollar of understanding but just enough profit to make it worth our time to read and write it. Your credit is good with me so if you need an advance I could spot you an idea or two.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

might take you up on that down the road....my old mind will soon start running out of ideas.
j.

[William Michael Reeves]

I've already been pouring ideas into the holes in your head when you're not loo...writing. You'll find them when you get to the rock bottom of your inspiration.

[Vertigo Cat1111]

This is painfully relatable. Everyone just wants their art to be out their, and sell but mostly just inspire someone. But rarely is art taken seriously, especially poetry nowadays which is often just a punchline now. We want meaning and attention and recognition, because to be honest, poetry can be groundbreaking, healing and say so much more than a movie or show can sometimes. I, and I’m sure many others feel your pain here. Also, I loved the rhyming and words used. Thank you so much for sharing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

another poet friend and I were at a book signing...and people would walk up, look at our books and asked if we ever thought about writing a novel...like poetry was just a stepping stone.
thank you for your kind review...
j.

[Vertigo Cat1111]

That’s absolutely horrific to be honest- and ironic because novels were my stepping stone to poetry, haha. What do they know?

[Fran Marie]

I feel these words you
express so deeply
We all hope our writing
reaches out to someone
somewhere..a poet tries to
pens his heart into his words
if only it is he that reads his verse

Nice Work

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Fran,
j.

[JE Falcon]

Ah, Jacob. ... I don't know if I should feel bad or glad. Is this an English-humor write, or are we having a bad time of it? --- Ah, well, I'm an optimist, sometimes, so I'll take the prior and say that it made me smile; having felt the same way many times, and muttled through. --- Good write, and if I'm wrong, sorry!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, JE,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Appreciation, love and affection. We all need those, and yet we don't always get them. Whether it's in relationships or whether it's to do with our writing, bankruptcy is a poor place to be. There is a sadness here J.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and either chapter is not good.
thank you, Chris,
j.

[M. J. Smith]

We strive for meaning in our work. We struggle for purpose in our lives. We who attained the barest glimmer of recognition... Do we write for ourselves or for our audience? Where has our passion led us when it grows cold? These are the reflections this brings to mind. Well written, J.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I think writing for ourselves is where the heart of the writing is.
If we write to sell, we fall flat on our pens.
thank you, M.J.
j.