Enola Gay and Heart Attacks

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poemFOR

“where burning Sappho loved and sung”

for Donald Anthony Whidden

The duty of the poet is to turn

The mild surprise, the inspiration for

His lines, to images and words that burn.

The poet must refine the lump of ore

To gold or, better yet, to glowing heat,

Plutonium of weapons grade.  For some,

Those wishing gentleness, emotions neat,

Some poets write.  These writers leave me numb

And not a numbness growing out of shock

Except the comprehension some want mild.

For me this puts our poetry in hock.

I want a Byron’s stanzas, bristling, wild.

  I want to capture ever-burning fire,

    The verses of a cardiac desire.

~ Phillip Whidden