How Ordinary Language Becomes Poetic Poem by RIC BASTASA

do not worry about images
leave it to the wise imagination of the reader
do not insult his powers
of extending the meaning of your ordinary language
beyond what you
are thinking or saying with utmost intention to drive your point

the poetry of indeterminacy
the meanings hidden in such plain words

as wolf and sheep
shepherd to this staff
river to stones
and clouds to rain and rain and rain and rain

and yes the trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrainnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn,

do not be too concerned
with form, the form comes and takes the shape desire before your eyes
what i am driving at is that
ordinary language becomes too poetic when
you shake because it is a very cold rain pouring in your roof
and you have no one
and you have no other place to go and you cannot call him because
he is too busy with other
matters of equal importance

i could be him and you could be her, in this ordinary language of
disappointments
why we met and why we regret the meeting and union

oh, why speak about something too poetic when ordinary language
can be so poetic
about pain, and hypocrisy, and mendicancy

of emotions, She herself is one of the few constant
features

on that landscape.

Wary, as always,
of holistic paradigms for the literary history

of poetry


dynamic, interactive condition of experimental poetry today

i cannot think
of any other recommendation,

Christian Boltanski's simulated documentaries,
I cannot think of a better introduction
to contemporary

poetry, this, oh,

so you understand a thing?

alright, how do you do?