Andrew John Poet Free verse

Many Words, Many Words

Whenever I look upon his poems
I wonder: Why so many words today,
words concerning so many things, expressed
so aimlessly as if to meet a deadline?

He must have so drifted, rambled,
this way or that, who knows?
Today - or was it yesterday? -
he wrote of the creature who lives next door.

Oh, human, of course, but this is how he thinks.
This week - or was it last?
Is this the way poets work,
writing many words, throwing some away, using few?

Perhaps he astounds his own senses.
Neighbours always seem like that.
Neighbours! They always seem to be
there and here and there.

Just like these, oh so many quite odd words,
today or yesterday or tomorrow.
What rambling, meandering!
Is there no way to halt, stop, cease?


(9 Oct 2023)

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Valsa George October 18, 2023 at 10:28 PM Some are long winded and some are very curt and precise. Each one has his/her unique way of expressing ! Can't say if prolixity is bad.... it all depends. Of course there is beauty in brevity and words thrown meaningless will definitely make reading tedious ! Andrew John October 19, 2023 at 6:42 AM Thanks, Valsa, for your observations.

Gershon Wolf October 12, 2023 at 9:11 PM Way back when, I taught high-schoolers a unit on poetry, as part of 'English class' now known as 'Language Arts.' I remember well the definition I wanted them to (dirty word coming) memorize. It started this way: 'Poetry -- characterized by economy of words...' lol... I guess Alan Ginsburg and his free association crowd blew that one all the way to Timbuktu! :) gw Andrew John October 19, 2023 at 6:44 AM Good thoughts, Gershon. Thank you.