Well aware of one another’s creative endeavors
over the course of 30 years
he and I have opened up to one another
in dribs and drabs with each appointment
a professional relationship slowly turned personal
but time was always limited at the doctor’s office
and as always, on a tight schedule,
the meeting had to come to an abrupt end

With the coming of COVID-19
things changed dramatically
office visits evolving into phone interviews
now on a first name basis (informally)
working from home, Lorne came across as much more relaxed
our last discussion being more about poetry than medicine
once informing him I had received my second injection
which suited me fine

Historically, a lyricist and song writer
he asked me if I knew of a book that taught one how to write poetry
the straight answer being “no”
although I’m sure there was something out there
but alas, Poetry is (arguably) not Brain Surgery
not so cut and dry
and can’t be taught in the same manner

As in every field
sure, there are lots of so-called experts
High School English teachers and university professors
able to steer their students in certain directions
but in the end, the poet is on his or her own
and must be honest in their analysis/expression

Although he preferring longer pieces, at his request
I recite from memory the poem, Awakening
as one of my best and favorites
and the last stanza in Mother to demonstrate my triple,
sometimes quadruple rhyme pattern
he in turn reads to me one of his lyrics
setting the stage with a Bob Dylan influence
and sure enough, the folk singer comes out in
the words, overall theme and tone

Finally, this meeting too must come to an end
he offers to send me more work and a full song MP4 file
in an email, and I in turn will send him a few more poems
and the link to my library at Pathetic.org
where I’m sure he’ll discover in a manner of speaking
the answer to his earlier question with all the experience in
years of writers’ workshops and poetry readings
coming out in a multitude of poems

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07/13/2021

Posted on 07/13/2021
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti