March 12th, 2007
(tribute to Billy Collins)

Shall we construct a poem?
Let's explore the cognitive cosmos.

I read from the experts
And my planet brain spins exponentially faster
And faster.

I could never write so eloquently--
Bringing life to the lifeless.

I read to become inspired;
Instead I let it suck me dry.

Why didn't I think of that?
--the same frustrations that comes when I see an overnight inventive success.
I fail to realize that
Poet A and Diane B have two separate galaxies
Conjoined with one cluster of valuable stars.

So let us both be writers.
Poet A in a published work
and B scribbled on a napkin
On the coffee-stained table.