The Circle

By David Maidment

Sun, 24 Apr 2011
  • 748 reads
2 comments
 

THE CIRCLE

You think,
why should I not
write a poem,
anyone can,
it just depends which way you look at it.
You draw a vicious circle
and tighten it.
You unearth a subject
and peel layer from layer beneath.
You watch word patterns form on paper,
Interpose form and content to suit,
use ideas as a competent tradesman
and bury your true feelings
beneath a smokescreen of symbol
until you even suspect your motive
for explaining yourself in terms
more circular than the most perfect of forms.
It is well that art is a game
in which it does not matter
which side wins.
I would not wish you now
take it seriously.

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Luly Whisper on
Poetry can hide your true feelings, but not necessarily. Sometimes you can reveal a truth better in poetry than in prose because poetry works through sound effects (the music of words), allusions etc as well as through literal statements.

Submitted by David Maidment on
Of course - the last two poems I posted were full of 'true' feelings. But note the last line of this poem - 'I would not wish you now to take it seriously' (ie this is a bit'tongue in cheek') One can get so obsessed by the form that the content becomes sterile. I spent a lot of time arranging this poem into a circle on paper to demonstrate this but unfortunately the ABC tales format does not enable it.

David Maidment