Poet's Notebook
Lost Letter, Lost Word
The word I need to speak begins with the letter lost between ‘K’ and ‘L’. We live in a deep canyon of language. We travel the length among known familiar things. At times we climb the walls in hopes of seeing what lies beyond. The climb is steep and if there is any...
A Poem Is Not About . . .
A poem is not about something. A poem is something in the form of language.
Mystery & Wonder
We live in the midst of mystery - between the telescope and microscope. Add the stethoscope - more mystery still. We are the living children of wonder.
Poet’s Mind, Beginner’s Mind
“For every poet it is always morning in the world. History a forgotten, insomniac night; History and elemental awe are always our early beginning, because the fate of poetry is to fall in love with the world, in spite of History.” Derek Walcott A poet lives “ . . . in...
Dogged by Dogma
Every dogmatic certainty is the work of a mental taxidermist.
A Cosmos Made of Words
“Nothing is itself taken alone. Things are because of interrelationships and interconnections.” Wallace Stevens Charles Darwin knew this. Evolution tells us that the seemingly distinct and disparate forms of life are genetically related. Albert Einstein knew this,...
Work of a Poet
As poet – first I am caught, arrested, captivated by an experience. Then using words, I set a trap in hopes that others might be caught.
Music from Words
A poem is music made out of words instead of notes. Poems have rhythm. Poems make sound.
Seeing Ten In One
“Genius... is the capacity to see ten things where the ordinary man sees one.” Ezra Pound I read Ezra by the pound. More would be too heavy for a...