the modern poet

Many thanks to Joe Benevento at Green Hills Literary Lantern for giving this poem a run. 

the modern poet writes

in his soup to save

on paper

he writes in the snow

because his shrink says

it’s therapeutic

he draws strength from

his parents’ divorce

the modern poet writes

because it can’t be helped

there are poems woven

into the carpet’s stitching

in his living room

and on the fogged

windowpanes around

his home

the modern poet sends

dirty soup bowls

to publishing houses

and waits for a response

he sends melted snow

and carpet samples

three at a time

the modern poet sends

his only copy

a carefully secured

pane of glass with

detailed instructions on

how to hold it

and where to breathe