—
Those kids who played sandlot football
and wanted the glamour positions
quarterback, wideout, even running back
are not the ones who make it to the pros
it is the ones who quietly, almost shyly
raised their hands to be picked for
offensive or defensive line
(back then we just called them “blockers”)
who wanted the contact
who wanted to feel the push against
existing forms
who make it to the big leagues
so it is with poets
those who want to ecstatically improvise
have the feeling first and ignore shape
are not the ones who make it
but rather those who shyly raise their hands
and sign up to do rondeaux and villanelles
are the ones
who get to feel the shocking hit
of idea against resistant matter
all at once and forever
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Photo: GettyImages