(1932 - / New York / United States)

poet Linda Pastan
#241 on top 500 poets
What do you think this poem is about?

A New Poet

Finding a new poet
is like finding a new wildflower
out in the woods. You don't see

its name in the flower books, and
nobody you tell believes
in its odd color or the way

its leaves grow in splayed rows
down the whole length of the page. In fact
the very page smells of spilled

red wine and the mustiness of the sea
on a foggy day - the odor of truth
and of lying.

And the words are so familiar,
so strangely new, words
you almost wrote yourself, if only

in your dreams there had been a pencil
or a pen or even a paintbrush,
if only there had been a flower.

Submitted: Monday, January 13, 2003


Read poems about / on: flower, truth, red, sea, believe, dream

Comments about this poem (A New Poet by Linda Pastan )

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  • Val Morehouse (8/2/2009 7:00:00 PM)

    Linda,

    This is such a tender encouragement to new poets, many of which exist on this site. It is tikkun olam to support the word generation that follows. I loved the poem. I give it a 10.

    Val

    1 person liked.
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  • Jim Foulk (4/8/2007 2:05:00 PM)

    I liked this one very much. I like your syle of poetry, you do have a gift, you know how to bring those words to life.

    1 person liked.
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  • Mary Gordley (3/13/2007 3:51:00 PM)

    perhaps...

    'The poison of the Honey Bee
    Is the Artist's Jealousy.'

    -from Auguries of Innocence

    0 person liked.
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  • Lamont Palmer (2/27/2007 6:39:00 AM)

    How did Pastan ever get a Pulitzer writing this stuff? Sorry, this is trite poetry. But again, she lives in Maryland, as I do, so I wish her well.

    0 person liked.
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  • Alfredo Jacques (11/10/2006 4:58:00 PM)

    I would just like to say I love the poem

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  • john tiong chunghoo (9/29/2006 12:09:00 AM)

    if only there had been a flower...to write about. good one.

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  • Dan Tharp (3/1/2006 1:12:00 PM)

    I am amused with this poem... yes... nothing like finding a new poet! ! !

    dan =)

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  • Anna Russell (2/20/2006 3:37:00 AM)

    Well, I have just discovered you and this sums up exactly how I feel about your work. Lovely.
    Anna xxx

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  • Scarlett Treat (2/8/2006 8:47:00 AM)

    I have been 'picking flowers' since I discovered PH, and your work is one of them.
    How wonderful it is to make great new poetic friends who boost your ego AND help you become better at the same time. Love your work, and look forward to more.

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  • Gina Onyemaechi (2/6/2006 4:40:00 AM)

    Great, 'imagey' write. Regards.

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Read all 15 comments »

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