About Me (Poetry)

They’ve asked me to write
a short paragraph about myself —
just a few illuminating lines
to give their readers a brief intro —
some insight re the workings
of a living poet’s mind.

Some hope, I thought, knowing
how the mood swings
alter everything — opinions
likes and dislikes off the scale
and anything remotely interesting —
the dark side of ideas too radical
and shocking for their less than
cutting edge pseudo-bohemian
mid-range bordering on banal
bi-monthly small press
(with probably less than
a smattering of subscribers
and unknown contributors)
type publication.

So, age and sexual orientation?
Literary (yawnful) leanings? —
which say absolutely nothing
for they change from day to day
I’m married and a mother
and so are countless other women
who don’t have either the time
or any taste for poetry.

Perhaps I’ll ring round and interview
unwary friends — plus an old enemy or two
and ask them straight — who am I?
hoping they’ll offer the odd clue
to what there is to say
about me — viz a viz
what I think I think
and why it should matter anyway
because, when it comes down to it
those who read my work
and latch on to any meaning they can find
have already learned enough, perhaps
appreciate the mystery
that goes with the territory —
believe a poet’s inmost thoughts are like
a wild creation myth
born someplace far
and in an ancient tongue —
so it follows any glib translation
must be considered at the very least
a bit suspect.

Besides, the few folk who assume
they know me as well
as anybody can
are already taking bets
that I will never write a
‘How To...’ book
however much the gods
of publishing might offer
to pay me to reveal
my secret modus operandi

for I won’t pretend
there are any rules
or nothing strict
as far as I
can tell.