Nicholas Laughlin's blog etc.

No Poem

Too many ideas about what is a poem.
No ideas about what is a poem.

What is a poem about too many ideas.

The poem lodged like a seed in the teeth of the world.

The aim of poetry is: "Thoughts that are not at peace."

A poem that prefers maps to photographs.

Convinced that poems can exist.
If a poem were not an accident.
If a poem finished what it started.
If a poem were not surprised.
If a poem were willing.

Ten thousand false starts.

There are other things to do with the truth than tell it.
A lie does concern itself with the truth.

Poetry is what survives a poem.
A poem is what survives poetry.

-- N.L.