Each word...

[PrinceMyshkin]

“[E]ach word felt like it knew what it was doing.”
Neil Gaiman on his early encounter with a novel by Jack Vance.



Which is true, even for all of us.
Each word that we put down,
that goes, seemingly so obedient,
where we place it,
knows exactly what it is doing
though it might or might not
choose to share its knowledge with us.

Every adjective has its hanging garden
of other meanings, each verb
is ready to spring
in some other direction.

So that, e.g.: “Would you like
some more mashed potatoes?’
properly read, might mean:


I will never tire of saying
how much I love you!
Or possibly
I have just seen the first
Jack-rabbit of this season!

[breathtest]

Lovely, Prince. Your words are so elegant and you certainly, wthout question, know what your words are doing.

You are witty and you are observant, and those characteristics make for a fine poet

[Buh4Bee]

I admire the poet that can personify the life of the word. When you get into that, you are at the heart of poetry writing. Nice piece!

[qimissung]

Yes, the personification of the words of your poem, it's every thought in just a few sentences says so much more than what you've actually written.

[Virgil]

It is nice. I like it. :)

[dara.cv]

i thoroughly enjoyed this poem. It beautifully states the dynamics of a writer's expression, a reader's perception, or just maybe the independent willful nature of words .

koodoos..... it is not often you see poems exemplify this without boring.

[paperleaves]

wow. I wish I could give an intellectual comment but my mind is officially blown. this is simply wow, if you will.

[Lynne50]

Thanks Prince for that "Ode to a Linquist" My father would have loved your poem. He loved language and writing and always diagramed his sentences so he knew just where to put his words, however, at times his 'knowledge" was above me. Your poem has brought back fond memories.

[symphony]

Yes, a word is, indeed, a world.
And properly read, one can take the above to mean:
You make me wish I could go into your mind and see what's happening there before anyone else does, before even you let the words out I want to see what more is there - bound and to be set free.

[firefangled]

I believe once I commented something like this about your poetry, that it knew what it was doing. And now you've described it perfectly.

As Alice inquired of Humpty-Dumpty, "The question is can words mean so many different thing?" I do not believe Humpty's answer was as straightforward and lovely as this poem.

[Makai]

Your writing is a personification of smooth pontifications on the nature of man. The Everyman, his spirit, how he loves, quirks and inconsistencies flow painting incredible word pictures. I revel in reading your work old friend.

I am long lost but always can be found,
I apologize for my long my silence,

Vicki

[PrinceMyshkin]

Lovely, Prince. Your words are so elegant and you certainly, wthout question, know what your words are doing.

You are witty and you are observant, and those characteristics make for a fine poet

Many thanks, Breathtest. I'd like to think that I do know what my words are doing but that I also allow them a modicum of freedom to do something else if they can or wish to.

[PrinceMyshkin]

I admire the poet that can personify the life of the word. When you get into that, you are at the heart of poetry writing. Nice piece!

Thanks, Jersea. I sometimes bristle when people speak of "the heart of poetry." I'd prefer to think that it has many hearts and that each of us approaches her heart in her own way.

[Stargazer86]

Prince, Whenever I see that you have something new posted on the "new posts", I always make sure to read it. I enjoy each piece you write as you are a gifted and thoughtful writer. This is no exception

[PrinceMyshkin]

Prince, Whenever I see that you have something new posted on the "new posts", I always make sure to read it. I enjoy each piece you write as you are a gifted and thoughtful writer. This is no exception

Many thanks, Stargazer. I hope this doesn't make me hesitate to post something else lest I disappoint you.