Because she speaks the tabooed word, she tells the hidden truth. She looks, she sees.
Because her sustenance comes from something that cannot be sold, or withheld, or rationed.
Because, sometimes, when she meets a fence, her muse demands that she climb it.
Sometimes dangerous poems are hidden in drawers, but still -- they have been written.
The internal life is less easily ruled, restricted, than the external life. it cannot be marketed, and there is no profit beyond the spirit.
If everyone wrote poems -- if everyone read poems -- what would happen then? If we all were just a bit more connected to our internal selves, our animal selves, our spirited selves, our sensual selves -- would the made world unravel? Who would we be then?
Suppose we all heard god speak in tulips, in pollen, in the hidden languages of the body?
If we could reach our hand into the river and lift out the sequined fish, what then?
[Thank you, Ivy, for the pointer to the FEAR THE POET T-shirt! My first -- let's hope my last -- impulsive internet purchase.]
AWSOME! I'm very new at this and you have captured why I try. Love the pics too:) I have to know what kind of tulip that is?
Posted by: Tammy | 18 May 2006 at 05:20 PM
"Sometimes dangerous poems are hidden in drawers, but still -- they have been written."
You certainly hit a chord with that line. They have been written.
Posted by: Dona Bogart | 18 May 2006 at 06:29 PM
This is wonderful.
I am sure God speaks in flowers.
"Fearsome Poet"I never thought of it that way before.
Posted by: harmony | 18 May 2006 at 07:25 PM
If we could reach our hand into the river and lift out the sequined fish, what then?
Great line. This is an interesting piece for me because it gets at the same kinds of questions Ted Kooser asks about why more people don't read or write poetry and what kind of effects there would be on the world if more people did read and write poetry.
I love the questions you ask.
Posted by: Lynn | 18 May 2006 at 10:36 PM
Awesome t-shirt for an awesome poet. Yay!
Posted by: Ivy | 19 May 2006 at 04:59 PM