Poet Power Poem by Practicing Poetess

2 short! :) ............................

This poem (and the poet?) likes the extremes of light and dark. It leaps across the chasm in between, where vast things are vastly less exciting. True? (My fellow Leo, you are a drama queen, aren't you?) For some reason, I feel almost the knife's edge in the phrase 'a slice of darkness.' There is a hall of darkness behind these words, with doors that I almost dread to approach (my knees are nearly knocking! Okay, that's a little over-stated.): yet also, clearly, an inviting light at the end of the tunnel that beckons. Thus, you demonstrate very well the fact of 'poet power.' That is undeniable. That power, however, is not so much in the words chosen, I think, but in the fact of Choice itself: in the direction that a poem will take; and in the direction of a life. This poem is about the poet's art: at times a dark art; at times, a light. It is also, by default, about the poet herself. Not to be cryptic, but I wonder if we choose the words only because they have already chosen us! When the 'right' word or image comes to mind, we recognize its rightness; we don't decide it is right. But that's like saying the poem creates the poet, which is bass ackwards. But now that I think about it, maybe there's some truth to that. At any rate, I love the dark beauty, yet the lightsome charm of this poem. It seems to be the signature of your work, the exploration of the extremes of life (and art?) , based on what I've read of the poems you've submitted so far (... though I haven't explored them all yet. Getting there. Getting there.) . I cannot shake the notion, so I will just say it: I wonder if you have not grabbed the bull by both horns, and have been for the ride of your life! Wonder where that came from? Maybe I'm just projecting too much of my own story, except that my bull grabbed me by both ears, and I have given him a ride for his life. Poet Power of a slightly awkward variety. I think you have it right. Thank you for sharing. May you never grow tired of exploring the poet's (he) art. :)

Quite right, Michael. Sometimes, however, poems seem to take on a mind of their own, and the poet is surprised with the end result! Ever been there? That happens to me quite often.

Very true of the writing process, the way the mind and the pen interact right up till the last second. Of course a poem can be ' a slice of darkness'. Shelley would agree. But a poem can be ' a thing of beauty' too.