Ph: Poetry Writing: Why Poetry? Poem by Brian Johnston

Mere prose can be quite beautiful! Its writers get my praise,
With rhythm, grace, and clarity, leave readers in a daze,
It too, can make a reader think, bring joy or tear the eye,
But when is prose so musical its chords match butterfly?

To memorize prose words is work, you doubt it? Ask a child!
While music cuts an instant groove, domesticates the wild,
The ancient world hears Bible sung; it's an exacting art,
While Bibles we translate in prose miss some part of the heart.

While Gettysburg address is great, it never will be sung,
And revolutions come and go, they never will be rung!
A poem uses lover's ways (and flirts with love's disguise,)
A poem's truth tests bounds of heart, the wisdom in our eyes!


Brian Johnston
3rd of June,2018

Poet's Notes:
The writing of a poem is such an exciting process. I was on a neighborhood hike without any recording device when the last two lines of this poem popped into my head. I usually work from a title. What fun!