Friday, April 2, 2010

Poetry Friday: April Foolish


Yesterday was April Fool's Day. Even though I'm a day late (what else is new?), I thought I'd go with a foolish theme for Poetry Friday. This, however, is not a foolish poem.

Poetry Friday is being hosted by Kate at Book Aunt.

"Any fool can get into an ocean . . . " 
by Jack Spicer
Any fool can get into an ocean   
But it takes a Goddess   
To get out of one.
What’s true of oceans is true, of course,
Of labyrinths and poems. When you start swimming   
Through riptide of rhythms and the metaphor’s seaweed
You need to be a good swimmer or a born Goddess
To get back out of them
Look at the sea otters bobbing wildly
Out in the middle of the poem
They look so eager and peaceful playing out there where the
    water hardly moves
You might get out through all the waves and rocks
Into the middle of the poem to touch them
But when you’ve tried the blessed water long
Enough to want to start backward
That’s when the fun starts
Unless you’re a poet or an otter or something supernatural
You’ll drown, dear. You’ll drown
Any Greek can get you into a labyrinth
But it takes a hero to get out of one
What’s true of labyrinths is true of course
Of love and memory. When you start remembering.

7 comments:

Diane Mayr said...

Fabulous choice of poems, Andy!

Ruth said...

I love this!

Mur said...

Thank you for this poem! I just love it.

Mary Lee said...

Perfect poem as we dive into NaPoMo! Uh, oh!...how will we get OUT???

Laura said...

Thanks, Andy, for sharing this great poem!

Laura Evans
all things poetry

Dianne said...

Fun! I love the line, "Any Greek can get you into a labyrinth, but it takes a hero to get of one."

Andrea Murphy said...

I was sold after the first line. "Any fool can get into an ocean, but it takes a Goddess to get out of one." I absolutely love this poem, and I'm glad you all enjoyed it, too!

Happy Easter, by the way!