—Anonymous Photo
INTRODUCTION TO POETRY
—Billy Collins
I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.
But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.
___________________
—Medusa, reminding you that D.R. Wagner and Dave Boles (plus open mic) will be reading today at 1pm at Poetry in Placerville, Love Birds Coffee and Tea Co., 1390 Broadway, in Placerville. And that Connie Post and Andy Jones will be reading today at the new Davis Arts Center Poetry Series, corner of F St. and Covell in Davis, 2pm. Scroll down to the blue column (under the green column at the right) for info about these and other upcoming poetry events in our area—and note that more may be added at the last minute.