This poem is about itself
and how it cannot speak.
It might as well be Danish or
a dialect of ancient Greek.
Its words lift off like air balloons,
each basket all aflame
with revelation's flickering tongues
contained within each lettered frame.
Before these baubles reach the heart
they mean to kindle, each
one's lines snap, baskets drop,
the motive force behind their speech
is lost. The poet even now
while writing feels despair
deflate her. "Mediocre," hiss
infernal whispers in the air,
"expendable, inferior,"
and with a downward gust,
they snuff out truth flames fluttering
until there's nothing left but dust.
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2 comments:
I always love reading your poetry, Elanor. :) I came across your letter the other day and thought, "I NEED TO WRITE ELANOR!" So hopefully you will receive a letter from me soon-ish. :)
Your writing reminded me of a quote [I can't think of who said it,] that goes, "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."
I had to google it to get it right and I'm finding it's attributed to Dr. Seuss!
It made me think of you not writing poetry and I know you are extremely busy but it seems like, for me, I quit writing poetry for a little while because life was a little like poetry itself...things were beautiful, new, and exciting.
Life is still beautiful and exciting, but I write poetry again because...well, because I like to write. There's a definite tone change to it, most of the time, but I'm still writing it. When I'm not trying to write my novel, which has grown to almost 30,000 words!
Anyway...maybe none of that made sense but I promise there was a thought process in there somewhere!
Love you Elanor!
Thanks Kaitlin! I know exactly what you mean about not writing poetry! I think that's not why I stopped exactly--it happened because all of a sudden I felt like the process of writing was too self-conscious for me to do it. But the reason I was able to stop is exactly because I see life as a more important work of art than a poem.
For a while, though, I think I've been losing sight of the artistry of my life, so writing and reading poetry again is helping me regain the right perspective on the real world.
I can't wait to get your letter!
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