Games Of Poetics Poem by Dilip Mohapatra

Like any other game that
people play
the games of poetics have their rules too
and have players pitted
against each other
in various combinations
the poets with the readers
or poets with poets
poets with critics
critics with critics
or even readers with readers.

Boundaries are drawn
to define the forms
and the arena
sometimes with rhymes
sometimes with rhythms
embellished with
alliterations
imagery
metres and metaphors
with some freedom given
some freedom assumed
and some enforced
while deliberate moves are made
to attack and to defend.

Some games are played in the public
in poetry festivals and reading sessions
in numerous Facebook
and WhatsApp groups
and some are played
in privacy
in a dyadic mode
and some are played with self
in the solitaire style.

The games may change their genre
from boards to boxing rings
from zero sum games where
if one goes up the ladder
the other is swallowed by the adder
to non zero sum ones
where most of the times
I win and you lose
but which still has an intersection
an option
where it could be
win-win for all.
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