Are There Any Poets Anymore?

Margaret V.Doran

Was she the last vestige of poetic life?
Was her search in vain?
Were there any poets anymore or
had they disappeared when Atlas shrugged?
What is a Chap book, anyway?

She could feel all the juices drying up;
not being sucked out, but
solidifying like resin in her veins
making her slow and lethargic;
she was being compressed - to amber?

Where were the poets?

She found use-groups and
ruminated on their works and
left chatty messages
and poems inspired
because they were there

But no one responded.
She began begging
for discourse and wordy
interaction and finally left the group
with sarcastic limericks

Where WERE the poets?

Was she invisible?
Did her words disappear in cyberspace?
Was her voice silent?
She could feel the shroud
descending: a slow death

yet inexorable in its progression
Her muse, whose shields were low,
strangled out a cry for input and feedback,
for inspiration and support
for a creative energy life-force infusion

Where were the POETS?

With failing energy
she tried a search engine
and found - oh, life preserver! -
a poetry circle and - oh, life water! -
a chat group of promising hope

So she went to the kitchen
and poured the prescription,
carefully carrying it back, steaming its
Irish cream aromas to tempt her muse
while they were being fed

But no one was there. She was alone.
The guarantee had failed
The poets had disappeared
in 1996 by evidence of their works.
Perhaps hers was not the only demise

WHERE were the poets?

She returned her mug -
with a skiff of cold and curdled cream
floating disgustingly on the top -
without inspiration, without contact.
With hope, too, now dying she crumpled

He scrutinized the floor of the empty kitchen
and narrowed his eyes in consternation
his thoughts were clearly visible:
his disgust and resolve
then he turned on his heel to find the culprit

"OK," she heard the cry
as if from a great and muffled distance,
"Who dumped the prune on the floor
and didn’t pick it up?"
Her muse did not respond.

ARE THERE ANY POETS ANYMORE???

Copyright © 1997 Margaret V. Doran. All rights reserved.

If you enjoyed this poem, please send her an e-mail here.

Updated July 1, 1999
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