Saturday, February 27, 2021

Poets Seldom Order Missile Attacks - poem

 

Lawrence Hall

Mhall46184@aol.com

https://hellopoetry.com/lawrence-hall/

poeticdrivel.blogspot.com

 

Poets Seldom Order Missile Attacks

 

“Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world”

 

–Shelley, “A Defense of Poetry,” 1821

 

In truth

 

Poets are the acknowledged legislators

          of nothing

                             Let us thank God that it is so

 

Poets can be tiresome in their own ways

Among other shortcomings scribbling free verse

Without any consideration for meter

And failing to understand the rhythm of iambs

 

Poets can be tiresome in their own ways

Hogging for grants and television time

Some writing more for politics than for truth

Obsessing on the I instead of All

 

Poets can be tiresome in their own ways

But they seldom order missile attacks

 

Poets are the acknowledged legislators

          of nothing

                             Let us thank God that it is so

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