Speaking of stealing (a la yesterday’s prompt), much in this poem comes from having read an essay in Poets.org on Clarity and Obscurity in Poetry –an old article saved in my archives.
Obfuscation an obstacle
difficulty is friction
in syntax, reference, image, idea
metaphysical reach
mapping the contours of
the interpreted world
what ARE the terms of engagement
of taking hold of a text
unlocking the hidden?
Well, roll up your sleeves.
Sorry,
No.
Most days
I prefer Marianne Moore’s
“mania for straight writing”.
Life is complex enough
every seemingly simple
phrase still capable
of pointing
to something beyond
the veil:
our contradictions
our weariness
wildness of word choice
and wonder, of course.
As we walk the slant
so might we say it
plain, trust in
surprises that lie
beneath
river stones
behind
our locked doors
within
the I of
our eye.
Early Morning Poems 