I must not write a poem <br />because I want to write a poem. <br />I must try to write the poem <br />when the poem has to be written. <br />Yes but what if my cat dies? <br /> <br />Yes, what if my cat dies <br />and I know my cat lived a <br />good and honest life <br />I can write a poem? <br /> <br />I can can’t I <br />I can have a cat poem can’t I <br />Life of an honest cat and that <br /> <br />Yes I know, I said the cat was honest <br />but I didn’t say that I was, and <br />I lied about the cat <br /> <br />________________________________ <br /> <br />Discussion: <br />The poem begins as a slightly <br />finger wagging exercise in telling <br />people not to write just because <br />they want to write a poem - it must <br />be DRIVEN by the poem's insistence <br />on being written. The poet is <br />unable to sustain this arrogance <br />hence the cat. Then, using the <br />cat as an excuse, writes the poem <br />but in the end has to admit that <br />the cat was just a device to break <br />the rule outlined in the 4 opening <br />lines. (Secretly of course the poet <br />believes or at least hopes that the <br />poem is good enough to excuse itself <br />and be allowed to break the rule.) <br />But of course it isn't<br /><br />Sean Joyce<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-cat-poem-with-discussion/
