Monday, July 16, 2012

Two Poems on One Subject

I.
Humility
(Note: the poet wishes to write a poem, at long last, about humility, and discovers that humility is itself a poem. He resolves to write the word twice, once as the title of a poem, and once as the body of the poem, but his sense of aesthetics forbids him to do so. He resolves to write the word itself, and leave it alone, without explanation, on the page, but his scrupulousness will not allow him to attempt to publish a poem without a title. At a loss for what to do, but determined to associate himself with the sacred topic, he consults his arrogance, and it is given to him that he should write the word once, compose a parenthetical remark, and write the word a second time. No one learns anything, but to the poet, it kind of looks like a poem. )
Humility


II.
Summa Humilita

Who cannot be faithful will never be humble.
Who cannot be hopeful will never be humble.
Who cannot be loving will never be humble.

Who is not wise is too far from humility.
Who is not just is too far from humility.
Who is not courageous is too far from humility.
Who is not temperate is too far from humility.

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