The Atty's Poem Collection (2012) ✓

(7) Ballade: We Poets

The Atty's Poem Collection (2012)
By Fox-Trot-9

(7) Ballade: We Poets

1

The poets of the past all had their day.
   Perhaps we've heard a few of them by name:
Immortal Shakespeare, Dryden, Pope and Gray,
   Majestic Milton, daring Dante. Came
   And went all these and more who all became
The giants of their day, commemorated
   For innovations of such high acclaim;
We all still read what they have all created.

2

And then we have the poets of today.
   Ah! What a vile disgrace to share the same
Establishment that builds upon the clay
   Of free verse, now diluted into tame
   Ripoffs our famous modern bards did frame:
I sometimes think that they are overrated!
   Despite the fact that they're the ones to blame,
We all still read what they have all created.

3

But we, the newest poets in the fray,
   Have yet to scratch the tablet of true fame,
Barely acknowledged for the words we say
   Or else entombed in writer's block or shame;
   But what we lack in fame, we can rename,
Remove, reshape, redo, make captivated
   Our every doubting critic, with this claim:
They all will read what we have all created!

4

   We poets are the bearers of the flame,
The future bards of fame and fortune, fated
   And fortified with visionary aim,
That all will read what we have all created.

(c) Len D.

(To be continued...)