A POETIC EPIGRAM

A POETIC EPIGRAM

When a potential poet

decides to air

his delicate wit,

he consults the ultimate:

the Mighty Scansion List

He confronts among others

the trochee, anapest or iambic patterns

with “feet” that stumble

eventually grumbling,

“It really doesn’t matter!”

Consternation

begrudging admiration

confront the struggling poet

amazed with classic composers

who put word and form together

with irritating devotion.

Some poets who stumble

sense a different beat

place words upon paper

indiscriminate

are lost in thought

and merely ruminate.

Audience, oh audience

I know you’ve struggled with this,

but no more so than poets

fighting with the mighty

Scansion List.

Charles N. Inge is a longtime Washington State poet…who seems to know it!

SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.).

SHARING STORIES is featured on www.northwestprimetime.com, the website for Northwest Prime Time, a monthly publication for baby boomers, seniors, retirees, and those contemplating retirement. The newspaper can be found in the greater Seattle area and other Puget Sound locations. For more information, call 206-824-8600 or visit www.northwestprimetime.com. To find other SHARING STORIES articles on this website type "sharing stories" in the search function above.