'Out of the cradle, endlessly rocking...'

Saturday, November 27, 2010

no one should ever ask me anything...

     A fellow at work wants to be a poet.  This came as a surprise to me, for he has always seemed such a sensible sort.  Anyway, he knows I write poems, so he asks, 'How do you know you're a poet?'  Well, that's a good question.  'Because I write poems', I replied.  Then I ask, 'Do you write poems?'  'No', he says, 'but I really want to'.  'Well, until you start writing poems you aren't a poet'.  'So, all I have to do is start writing poems?' he asks.  'Yes.  But be careful - not all who think they're writing poems are writing poems'.  'But if it looks like a poem, I mean, if it's got rhymes and all, isn't it a poem?'  'Not always.'  'Then how will I know if I am really writing poems?'  'By writing poems'.  'This is confusing', he says finally. 
     Yes, yes it is...

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