The Poet Laureate

Mark Fennell

10/16/94

Note: This poem was written in a certain style, and for a particular reason. See more details at the end of the poem.

The Poet Laureate:

T’was an esquire with quandary ere long ago
Courting scores of phrases which nobody knows
Lord of the Ramblers, let us anoint
Either I’m missing the message or t’was never a point

Your words do flow unlike ebullient tides
Away on the waves my thoughts do arise
Sounding like surf on a distant shore
Where are the words? I can’t tell anymore

Trees and tides and light and leaves
Modernize your metaphors if you would please
Summers of innocence and babbling brooks
How could reality enter your nook?

Tell me, O Homer, how long you’ll drone on
I’ve yet to get wiser in between lengthy yawns
Let someone else don that laureate crown
Your prose gives us woes; it is time you stepped down

Notes:

Why write this poem?

This poem is meant to a) copy a specific style, b) prove that I could write something equal in quality to the works of a famous poet, and c) make several points regarding a many "famous" poets.

 
I got "inspired" by hearing a famous poet stand up and read his work.

This man got major awards, including the Pulitzer (I think that's what I heard).

(Actually what I saw was a film portraying the author. In any case the poet and the main poem is real, and I heard it read as he intended it to be read)



But, like many poets, especially the so called "famous" poets, there are things that bothered me.

First, most of that poem was not that great.

Second, I felt anyone could write something like that.

I did several specific acts in creating this work. Consequently, I am proud of several results in the final poem.

1. I proved I could write something like this guy did. (And this guy won a Pulitzer for his poetry).

That proved how simply it could be done. (Or, it proves that I am as talented as a man who won a Pulitzer.)

2. The second thing I did was the message about some types of poetry.

I pointed out some topics which he (and other poets) write about, topics which I didn't think were special.

Also, the meaning of many poems, well... many poets lose the reader/listener. I don't like that in a poem.

3. The third thing I am proud of in this poem is working with big words.

I deliberately used big dictionary words. I don't usually like to do that, but many of these "great poets" do. With that in mind I used big words.

 

4. Then there is a third part: the rhythm and sound. This I feel proud of this.

Ignore the meanings of this poem for a moment - just listen to the words.

Notice how the poem flows, like waves. If you just listen to the poem, but not thinking about the words, then you will get this soothing lullaby effect.

I feel proud of that.

5. And also with the sound note the big words. Note that I still had the rhyme and the soothing sound using those big dictionary words!

 

So, all this is kind of like anOlympic ice skater doing a triple-axle. This poem proves my technical ability in many ways. This poem proves that I am just as talented as those "famous" poets.

So there!