June 21, 2010

Terrible Crap!




Looking through a few poetry books, first two handfuls grabbed from the bookshelf that sits in the hall filled with poetry (you would think it would sprout wings and flowers). I am looking for a poem for a friend, finding many gems but not for the type poem requested, more poems that remind me of why I love poems and how they speak to me between the lines and after the commas and periods and the close of the books. There is one book, a slim volume, I won't name the poor poet, as besides being a mere 25 cents marked at the book fair, someone has scrawled "Terrible Crap!" on the title page. I can't remember if I have seen that before - I am just perverse enough to buy a book of poems just for that reason alone. I like to browse. I can tell a good poem from a bad poem - but often I like a bad poem as well as a good - for the heart or thought behind it, for a winning line. I take my poems from songs and subway walls and tidy lines and ambiguities and clear as a bell and Hallmark sentimentalities and children's scrawls and little pockets and enormous shattering truths. Best, the poem that lands on your open palm like a snowflake, ice star, magical, melting the words into your skin, a soul's tattoo.

3 comments:

dylan said...

when you find the poem for your friend, i'd love to read it.

Susan Moorhead said...

Sending it to you, natch!

stephanie said...

Poem was beautiful and bittersweet and courageous and perfect. Thank you.