Poet In Arms

 

Poet

abandon vague image
do not weave a fabric of myth
or speak to us in grand verse
telling of the song of the spheres
or the days before this dark time

you see many things poet
but you talk in riddles
you avoid the cold hard way
for the soft path of platitudes
of metaphors
of meter and rhyme
but this is not the time

look poet
look into the flames
the fire of human suffering

feel it burn your eyes
char your soul
tell us how that feels

tell us how to see
with our own eyes
help us see the real place of light

you must tell us poet
in the power of plain language
in the clear voice of truth
tell us what is real

we will listen

with a pure heart of justice
raise your shield of words
lift your pen poet
like a sword

show us the grip

we will save the beauty
celebrate the wonder
protect the unique splendor

or we will join the battle
to strike down imbalance
to drive away sorrow

lead us poet
we will follow

*
rob kistner © 2011

Written for: Magpie Tales

Poetry at: dVerse

Poetry at: Poets & Storytellers

Poetry at: earthweal

75 thoughts on “Poet In Arms”

  7. I really like this – these words say it all I think:
    you must tell us poet
    in the power of plain language
    in the clear voice of truth
    tell us what is real

    Reply

  8. This is inspiring, for any writer.

    My favorite lines:

    ‘show us the grip
    we will join the battle
    to strike down imbalance
    to drive away sorrow’

    Reply

  24. “raise your shield of words
    lift your pen poet:

    Poets may not be as clear as statesmen but what they lack in directness they make up in the latent visionary quest of the spirit warrior of words.

    How brilliant your sentiments of the sublime here! Love it!

    Reply

  25. Rob, your words strike through
    the shallows and plunge us
    into the depths, the dark places,
    in over our heads, and your
    flare, your dare, leads the bunch
    of us. You seem to speak to each
    of us, certainly to me personally,
    outlining what we all strive for as
    we smyth the words that boil up
    from below, or descend like mist
    from on high, words floating and
    gliding on sunbeams, words hidden
    in hail, in tsunamis, in chaos, and
    we try to catch them bare handed,
    without nets, nailing them like
    captive butterflies to our poetics,
    to our pages. Thanks for being so
    brave, so honest, and brooking
    no bullshit.

    Reply

    1. Glenn — you humble me with your gracious words, thank you. In return, I must pay my respects for the quality of the writing you exhibit in this comment. Well crafted sir…

      Reply

    1. All the poets do not need to agree with me Ingrid, but I hope they should listen — I must therefore write in a way they understand. Do not use vagary or elitisms. If a poet cannot use plain language to make a profound point, then they have not truly mastered the language. Purpose of language is to communicate so as to be understood. If the majority do not understand you, then you are not a craftsman with your language. Your thoughts need to impress, not your complicated obscure seldom-used words that confuse — thereby unfortunately disrupting the reader’s flow of understanding. Unless you only wish to reach the few. The beauty of effective plain language is that the person who works on the line, as well as the person who conceived the idea to create the original company, can both understand what you are saying — may not agree, but at least understand your words. That is good, effective communication — which is what poetry should attempt to be. Good effective communication that moves you, positively or negatively. Poetry should not leave the reader saying — what? I did not understand your words! IMHO

      Reply

  35. A powerful poem echoing loud. Need we utilise flowery language and bombastic words in place of the simple words and phrases that would echo the same meaning,to be understood by many more people? 🙂

    Reply

    1. I heartily agree. To me the answer seems simple Veera, it is a question of your intent — do you wish to impress the scholastic few, or move the many with your message? Do you intend pompous or purpose? I am personally of the belief that poets of common language are the real “genius” poets, because they share often profound truths, in a way the masses will actually grasp. Poets like Billy Collins, Donald Hall, Naomi Shihab Nye, Taylor Mali, Mary Oliver, Gary Snyder. Amanda Gorman, and Brandon Leake. If a dictionary and thesaurus is required by a person of reasonable intelligence, to understand what a poet is trying to say, that poet is a poor communicator. They might be fascinating lingual aerialist — but they quickly become exhausting, and ignored by the majority of people. If as a poet you want to make change, then the majority needs to understand what you are saying. They may not agree, but they must understand your use of lsnguage. Otherwise you are preening in the mirror to impress yourself, or the few so inclined to be impressed by that which they don’t understand. To me, that is ineffective poetry. IMHO

      Reply

    1. Thank you Sanaa! This has always been my opinion of poetry. Find the easiest, most dimply beautiful way to help me see your light. If I then reject you, I at least did do understanding you. Don’t leave me confused, because then you do not allow me to have an opinion I can truly own. First — be an effective communicator.

      Reply

  39. Great work, Rob. I DID stop in here a few days back, as directed, but now I notice that I didn’t leave a note exclaiming my admiration for this poem, not only for its poetic excellence, but for its important message. Thanks.

    Reply

  41. Well, to each their own as they say. Personally, I like a wide diversity poetry and other types of writing, both in its message and in its method of communication. I like writing, as you say, in plain speak, or modernism has others might term it. I also like post-modernism, de-constructionism, conceptualism, language poems, nonsense lyric and even dada, etc. I like poems that challenge my mind and or my senses, and I like riddles, even if I can’t solve them. I guess I pretty much like it all. I’ll stand up and fight for diversity of the arts all day long, I’d even fight for stuff I don’t like… for the sake of diversity. Enjoyed your poem, Rob.

    Reply

    1. I agree Phillip. I love abstract expression in music, art, even words — though words to a lesser degree. “Poet In Arms” was written 11 years ago, as an experiment in a “rallying” poem — though I align to a large degree with its core essence. If you seek to rally, you need to be clearly understood. If you simply want to entertain, then all is game.

      Reply

  42. I LOVE this! For me, the second stanza says it all.
    I have to say, one criticism I often here about poetry is “I just don’t understand it!” I, personally believe, we must be “legible” in our poetry. We can write about the mystical, but the reader should be able to tell its about the mystical. We can write nonsense poetry but it should be fun and seen as nonsense poetry. I myself have great difficulty if someone writes a piece that, in my opinion, is so high-fallutin’ that I get done reading and say, “what was that about???”
    Just my opinion….but I’m write with you here! We don’t need to write in the “Roses are red, violets are blue” simplicity range….but understandable is good! 🙂

    Reply

  48. I hope that people may listen to poets… but powerful voices may also lead us on… the best poets are like the pied piper

    Reply

  50. This is an amazing piece of writing. The warriors must carry on to speak in the tongue of the poets heart. Some will listen and some will not, but if you touch one person in the journey it is worth it.

    Reply

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