I Like My Own Poems
by Jack GrapesI like my own poems
best.
I quote from them
from time to time
saying, "A poet once said,"
and then follow up
with a line or two
from one of my own poems
appropriate for the event.
How those lines sing!
Why it tickles my ass
off its spine.
"Why those lines are mine!"
I say
and Jesus, what a bang
I get out of it.
I like the ideas in them,
my poems;
Ideas that hit home.
They speak to me.
I mean, I understand
what the hell
the dam poet's
talking about.
"Why I've been there,
the same thing," I shout,
and Christ! What a shot it is,
a shot.
And hey,
The words!
Whew!
I can hardly stand it.
Words sure do mot fail
this guy, I say.
From some world
only knows
he bangs the bong,
but I can feel it
in the wood,
in the wood of the word,
rising to its form
in the world.
"Now, you gotta be good
to do that!" I say
and damn! It just shakes
my heart,
you know!
Photo credit: Photo by Aynaz shahtale on Unsplash
4 Comments
The Sick Bird of Poetry
ReplyDeleteThere are writers who dash a big splash
With dumb rhymes and insane balderdash.
Where once wisdom could fly
The clipped bird only cries
Into her glass of Tennessee sour mash.
Cool limerick, Sandy!
DeleteOverdose
ReplyDeleteThere’s no denying it—
I take a secret pleasure in reading my poems,
thrilling to my word choices over and over again.
I loved the process of getting there,
starting with a messy approximation of my intent,
then honing it little by little like a clay vessel
until it’s as close as I can get
to the shape and substance
I had in mind at the start.
It’s a small miracle, a sparkling gem,
and yes,
I know the danger of falling in love with your “darlings“—
you go blind, unable to see which words and phrases
must be modified or sent packing.
But when all that business is done,
my heart sings over my little treasure.
If it emerged from the truest part of me,
that’s something to celebrate!
Others may indulge in chocolate as their secret sin.
I overdose on reading my poems.
—Julie Cook
I enjoyed your poem, Julie! The lines "If it emerged from the truest part of me,/
Deletethat’s something to celebrate!" are delightful because the celebrate the joy of self-discovery that comes with working the lines of a poem. This is not arrogance but a recognition of poetry's power to ground us in our own lives. Thanks for this!