W.S. Merwin

[PrinceMyshkin]

The elderly poet, unburdened
by the prizes he has won, the hundreds
of poems in which he strived to say
Here, now, this moment, me,
you, looks up from reading
one of his most recent poems
at the request of his admiring host,
looks up, his eyes slightly moist,
seeming to ask:

Did you get it?
Did I deliver it?
Am I a poet?
I mean, really?

[paperleaves]

What I admire about your poetry, Jer, is that it is concise and to the point while vicariously providing intricate imagery displaying your true cause. I think this absolutely defines the poet in all of us, for without an audience, who would we write for? Beautiful job, well done, and keep posting! I miss your works.

[PrinceMyshkin]

What I admire about your poetry, Jer, is that it is concise and to the point while vicariously providing intricate imagery displaying your true cause. I think this absolutely defines the poet in all of us, for without an audience, who would we write for? Beautiful job, well done, and keep posting! I miss your works.

My "true cause," my dear, is to evoke the sort of understanding/appreciation I get from such as you! Providential to receive just this message from you because shortly before reading it and still somewhat in the mood of my Merwin poem, I began a possible new poem:



A poem is a venture into choppy waters
on a craft that is always somewhat imperfect...

[MorpheusSandman]

Truly a beautiful one, Prince. I think this really captures the inner poet in all humanity; in this case, one can read a metaphor into the idea of the poet and poetry as simply man and his creations as communication; 'did you get me?', 'did I deliver myself?', 'am I human?' 'I mean, really?'

[qimissung]

Yes, I like the juxtaposition between "admiring host" and the poet's question: "Did I get it?...I mean, really?"

[PrinceMyshkin]

Truly a beautiful one, Prince. I think this really captures the inner poet in all humanity; in this case, one can read a metaphor into the idea of the poet and poetry as simply man and his creations as communication; 'did you get me?', 'did I deliver myself?', 'am I human?' 'I mean, really?'

I do admire the way you paraphrased the original "it" into me and especially "Am I a poet?" into am I human? How insightful of you to see that our chosen masks or identities are always, at heart, indirect ways of presenting our humanity - or the hope to have it recognized.