I keep trying to improve
my control over language,
so that I won't have to tell lies.
~ Stanley Kunitz
THE POET, TRYING TO SURPRISE GOD
The poet, trying to surprise his God
composed new forms from secret harmonies,
tore from his fiery vision galaxies
of unrelated shapes, both even & odd.
But God just smiled, and gave His know-all nod
saying, "There's no surprising One who sees
the acorn, root, and branch of centuries;
I swallow all things up, like Aaron's rod.
So hold this thought beneath your poet-bonnet:
no matter how free-seeming flows your sample
God is by definition the unsurprised."
"Then I'll return," the poet sighed, "to sonnets
of which this is a rather pale example."
"Is that right?" said God. "I hadn't realized...."
— Peter Meinke
Poet's Corner
