Sputterpub's Blog

“A poem should be about your feelings,” said
an audience that fails to understand.
Experience has other words instead:
“A poem is just a making, and can be
in almost any tone and subject. Dread
the trite and ever seek to be sincere,
but you can lay down any clue of thread.
It isn’t sacrosanct, and won’t demand
a phrase beyond the truth that’s in your head.”

(Magic 9)

When writing metered rhyming poetry,
a syllable should not be thrown away.
A wasted phrase amounts to felony
(as lines are few, each word should have its say).
If I may risk reverse humility,
then here’s how I might edit Ms Millay:

I burn the candle at both ends.
It makes a lovely light.
But though the glow so far extends,
it cannot last the night.

The original:
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends –
It gives a lovely light!

One of the reasons I seldom read verse
is cause I can’t help seeing lazy mistakes.
And modern pop lyrics amount to much worse –
they’re staler than yesterday morning’s pancakes.

My magic feather was the exercise.
I thought I had to move to find a theme
to write about and wax a little wise,
but even in this sedentary stream,
I tend to cogitate, complain, and dream.
I can’t retard the process if I tried,
and though my topics may not soar or seem
significant, I’m not yet ossified.

(Huitain)