Poets Are Holy Hypocrites
poets are holy hypocrites;
it’s their blessing and their curse.
they sit for as long as it takes
like terriers at a foxhole
or for second-best practice,
at a rabbit-hole,
totally still, alert, all their powers
poured into attention;
what a lesson dogs
are for humans
then – a movement in
their consciousness; it could be
anything creative – a film, a poem;
and with it comes the sense
of wonder; they are as children
living in an eternal present
of the universe as gift;
they take up their pen or keyboard
and, so carefully, as they
would handle a new-born baby,
write down this spell for that it is
for the benefit of others quite unknown
and then like a christening shawl,
white, soft, handmade with love,
offer it to the world.
then some who believe its magic
read the spell, are reborn
or cured, or restored
to good health and humour
or simply have a good day
while those who don’t believe the spell,
well of course the magic doesn’t work for them
so far so very good. But then
those who aren’t into wanting spells
and have opinions about
their opinions, say, that word is wrong,
so it’s not a magic spell. it’s a bad spell,
in fact it’s not a spell at all
and others who also have opinions
about their opinions, say, that word is right,
so it’s a good and magic spell; and there they are,
all crowded round peering through their
dirty glasses, pushing and shoving and shouting
to get nearer the spell and have their say
and oh dear, there's the poet in there too
saying oh do you really think that
I'd better look at it again
and see if you might be right
and sad to say, some poets
begin to worry, about whether
the words of their spell are quite right
not trusting the magic, as if
it came from them and not from itself...
and the magic shrugs its shoulders
and says oh well and goes some place else
where it might be more appreciated
poets are holy hypocrites;
it’s their blessing and their curse
[with more than a little acknowledgement to the vision of Michael Leunig, cartoonist and Living National Treasure]
poem by Michael Shepherd
Added by Poetry Lover
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