Photo by Jane Blue, SacramentoARS POETICA
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento
Allow yourself one poem a day.
Speak sadly of this.
Taste its meaning.
One day a poem will taste sadly to you,
test your crying, taste your tears.
Sweet tears for sadness,
one tear a day for sad remembering.
Tell someone,
or keep it to yourself for savor.
Savor one poem a day.
Write it yourself.
Do not give it meaning.
Let it grate—or soften
your hurt meaning.
Let it linger where it hurries—
to—or away. Let it go, then.
There is nothing to say in a poem.
Allow this.
Wing it
with falling if you
fall inward. How will this matter?
Do not ask a question.
Questions have no answers.
In a word is a poem. Begin it.
___________________
—Medusa
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento
Allow yourself one poem a day.
Speak sadly of this.
Taste its meaning.
One day a poem will taste sadly to you,
test your crying, taste your tears.
Sweet tears for sadness,
one tear a day for sad remembering.
Tell someone,
or keep it to yourself for savor.
Savor one poem a day.
Write it yourself.
Do not give it meaning.
Let it grate—or soften
your hurt meaning.
Let it linger where it hurries—
to—or away. Let it go, then.
There is nothing to say in a poem.
Allow this.
Wing it
with falling if you
fall inward. How will this matter?
Do not ask a question.
Questions have no answers.
In a word is a poem. Begin it.
___________________
—Medusa
