Jack Gilbert Short Poems
Famous Short Jack Gilbert Poems. Short poetry by famous poet Jack Gilbert. A collection of the all-time best Jack Gilbert short poems
by
Jack Gilbert
Woke up suddenly thinking I heard crying.
Rushed through the dark house.
Stopped, remembering.
Stood looking
out at bright moonlight on concrete.
by
Jack Gilbert
Poetry is a kind of lying,
necessarily.
To profit the poet
or beauty.
But also in
that truth may be told only so.
Those who, admirably, refuse
to falsify (as those who will not
risk pretensions) are excluded
from saying even so much.
Degas said he didn't paint
what he saw, but what
would enable them to see
the thing he had.
by
Jack Gilbert
Suddenly this defeat.
This rain.
The blues gone gray
And the browns gone gray
And yellow
A terrible amber.
In the cold streets
Your warm body.
In whatever room
Your warm body.
Among all the people
Your absence
The people who are always
Not you.
I have been easy with trees
Too long.
Too familiar with mountains.
Joy has been a habit.
Now
Suddenly
This rain.
by
Jack Gilbert
When the King of Siam disliked a courtier,
he gave him a beautiful white elephant.
The miracle beast deserved such ritual
that to care for him properly meant ruin.
Yet to care for him improperly was worse.
It appears the gift could not be refused.