It’s National Poetry Day here in the UK so I thought I’d post this villanelle up in honour of the day. I was once photocopying some poems for a talk when the whole machine ground to a halt, totally jammed. I pulled what poetry I could from its innards and rushed off to give my talk. when I came back the lady in charge of the machine pointed an accusing finger and said “Your poetry is jamming my machine!” I thought that was such a great line that I stole it and wrote her this poem to make ammends.
As always you can hear it by clicking the ‘play’ button, if it appears or else clicking the hyperlink in the poem’s inordinately long title. 🙂
On being told my poetry was found in a broken photocopier
My poetry is jamming your machine
It broke the photo-copier, I’m to blame,
With pictures copied from a world unseen.
My poem is in the works -I’m on the scene
We free my verse, and I confess my shame,
My poetry is jamming your machine.
Though you berate me with what might have been,
You stop to read the poem, just the same,
And pictures, copied from a world unseen,
Subvert the icons on your mental screen
And open windows with a whispered name;
My poetry is jamming your machine.
For chosen words can change the things they mean
And set the once-familiar world aflame
With pictures copied from a world unseen
The mental props give way, on which you lean
The world you see will never be the same,
My poetry is jamming your machine
With pictures copied from a world unseen
Very apt 🙂
Thanks
While poetry pages may occasionally jam a machine, good poems like yours make the day flow better. I enjoyed it. I write some villanelles, too, and I’ve posted a couple on my blog:
Thanks, I have read, enjoyed and commented on both your villanelles. theres another one called ‘salvage’ on my blog which you might enjoy:
While you have such intricate poetry about Love or St. Francis that is to be treasured like a child treasures hot chocolate on a wintery day, this poem will always be my favorite juice box : ) so good . . .
I love, too, how our living can get stuck in the animate living of machines. But, if we could wait, listen and read, even the ensuing paper jam could still lift us off the page. I’m thankful for your poems. I’m always stuck and listening for another jam.
Er, the INANIMATE living of machines.
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I love this poem! We heard you give it out on Orcas Island several years ago.
Thanks. I’m glad to be reminded of Orcas
I just found this poem randomly, and it gave me chills. It helps me articulate why I love Emily Dickinson so much–her lines confuse and bewilder me in the most beautiful ways. Now I will call that getting my machine jammed. Thank you for this.
Your poem inspired me to write a villanelle. I had never heard of this poetic form before but enjoyed trying to work within its confines. The ‘rules’ didn’t make it more difficult as I feared it would but provided a helpful framework.
Thank You
Thanks. I’m glad I inspired you to have a go!