THE FORMULA

(A STATEMENT OF POETICS)

ANYTHING THAT LASTS FOREVER IS EMPTY OR OTHERWISE. EVEN IF A POEM DOESN’T KNOW WHERE IT’S GOING, IT SHOULD STILL HAVE BOTH “MOVEMENT AND MEANING”. YOU CAN HELP A POEM MAKE GOOD TIME BY TRUSTING ITS UNDERCURRENT, ITS “REASON TO BE LIVED IN”. THERE’S PROOF OF LOVE IN A POEM’S BONES; IT TAKES DISCIPLINE, DELUSION, A KNACK FOR WAITING, AND A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN, UNLEARN, AND RELEARN, TO TRUST THAT. IF YOU ARE GRATEFUL AND STILL ENOUGH, YOU MAY SEE WHAT YOU ALREADY BELIEVED BRIEFLY. MANY THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT ONCE. EDIT FOR SENSE LATER.  - A.H.