Nov
14
2008
Poem of the Week
A Sort of Song
Let the snake wait under
his weed
and the writing
be of words, slow and quick, sharp
to strike, quiet to wait,
sleepless.
—through metaphor to reconcile
the people and the stones.
Compose. (No ideas
but in things) Invent!
Saxifrage is my flower that splits
the rock.
~William Carlos Williams
Few poems or poets have had more impact on my writing. It’s innocuous and slim, but the sentiments (the implication) of the speaker and the precision of image never tire. The naked image, uncluttered by the poet’s attempt at “meaning-making”, is a grossly undervalued tool in much of contemporary poetry.
~Managing Editor