The Blank Page

The Blank Page When romantic plots and tales are sought In the aesthetic and creative mind, At first unseen within the empty page Themes of lyrical verse are there to find. Where an artist creates in pen and ink A written scene, or speech or tells a tale; The page, a catalyst, a passive link. In the reader’s voice the weight of meaning rests And this artistry the listener hears As the speaker, as in a play, suggests. One word and the page is no longer blank, The word, a pointer to the ensuing theme, A scene, a speech, a tale told to its end Or romantic rhyme, an unfinished scheme. Barry Stebbings Feb 2025