L Milton Hankins Poet Rhyme

On Writing Mediocre Poems

The most gifted poets who ever wrote
Occasionally penned gibberish and tripe
Even Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Keats
Sometimes were at a loss for words
In exchange for a royal coin or a token
Valued principles were sometimes broken
Even poets will follow the popular herds
To sit with the noted, the famous elites,
Writing mediocre poems of every stripe
I pluck my own beam, seeing their mote.

written June 16, 2021

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Caren Krutsinger June 17, 2021 at 2:44 AM I throw stuff onto a page that I would not even let my own husband read, and he wisely professes to love all of the stuff I throw down there. But, some of the things I consider bane, boorish or mediocre have won awards. I think readers are "trying" to help me out. L Milton Hankins June 17, 2021 at 8:59 AM Hey, if we are honest (and poets should be) all of us write garbage now and then. I certainly do...tons of it. OTOH, it is kind of fun to let your hair down sometimes and just write what comes to mind...you are a genius at that!

Terry Flood June 17, 2021 at 2:14 AM Too true. Excluding myself of course, I’m working on a classic right now... just wondering how to follow my superb opener... ‘The eager young lad was a loner’. I’m juggling words like flirt skirt and enormous... it’s gonna get me poet laureate so it has to right. Your views? ;-) Good write, Milt. Terry Terry Flood June 17, 2021 at 11:10 AM We should be a double act, I fed you a line and you grabbed that (ahem) boner with both hands... if you’ll pardon the expression. Just for fun, I wrote that epic ode for real, see you at the palace... or perhaps, the tower. L Milton Hankins June 17, 2021 at 9:08 AM The second line should end with "boner," don't you think? I can't believe I just wrote that, but I'm sticking with it.

Gershon Wolf June 16, 2021 at 6:34 PM Oh, is this ever a fave! Just love the way you arrived at the conclusion. No one can say that you are 'out-moted!' Bravo, gw L Milton Hankins June 16, 2021 at 7:19 PM Thanks, gw. I love your word play, and I have the beam, so I can pass on the mote! Thanks, again, for your affirming comment. I really appreciate you.