A poem is a linguistic accretion; a rusticle appended to the brain's
sunken pathologies; a disease tricked out in sunday-go-to-meeting
clothes; a secret laceration revealed to everyone and no one, but
revealed relentlessly; a celebration of weakness, yet a show of
strength. Otherwise, it's a habit of language that can be taught; an
excuse for pandering, snobbery and careerism, a reason to be cruel or to
be kind; a crafted artifact of language; a peacock or peahen's display
of exotic plumery for reasons best known to the peacock or peahen. A
poem is all of these or none of these and more.
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