The Poet Explains

Of course,

having written the poem

should be enough the poet,

though so many seem to think so,

has no reason, no need,

and no expectation

to have any idea

what the poem might mean.

Though bravely, he goes on

giving it his best shot

struggling over

conjunctions and verbs

focusing on the nouns

while disavowing

the very nouns

he discusses.

I have spent

a lifetime writing

I know not what

yet, you insist

I must surely know

so, of course, I must.

Thus, I say this

and it surely

must mean that.