Mark Bohrer

Almost Whole Mark Bohrer

Here is a collection of new poems, plus selected poems from earlier books. Poems about history and places in North Andover, Massachusetts and the Merrimack Valley. New Friends and Old Friends.

What is Poetry? (Take 1)

Poetry is
reality, distilled.
It's not the transcendent
try hold and fail,
or all wonder
well told but pale -
No.

Poetry is
reality, distilled.
It starts with the corn or the rye,
the simple things at hand,
already born, ready for the fire -
Yes.

Poetry is
reality, distilled.
It's moonshine brewing, the jar aglow,
spirits in a bottle,
tied with a rag, ready to throw -
light it.

Poetry is
reality, distilled.
It's the alchemy of words in ferment, the fuel
in a vessel contained, the juice
for your brain, for your soul -
ignite it!

What is poetry again? (Take 2)

Ok, here's another take -
Poetry is like maple syrup.
Poets take what is flowing out there in the world,
and boil it down to its essence.
Yeah, poetry is like maple syrup.
So whether that essence is
bitter or sweet, kind or mean, rough or easy,
a poet tells you - in a few precious drops -
what just happened out there...
or in there.
So you're sayin' that prose is the sap? Yep.
That prose goes on and on and on, and just won't stop?
Yep. The sap.
You writer of prose, can't you boil down those words?
Can't you tell me if it's
close or far, up or down, hot or mellow,
without writing a g.d. book?
Here's what I'm sayin' -
Can't you tell it to me short and sweet?
Can't you make poetry for me?