A How-To Primer

A dramatic experience concerned with the mundane
may inform but it cannot release;
and one concerned essentially with the aesthetic politics
of its creators may divert or anger, but it cannot enlighten.”
-- David Mamet

philosophical
verbiage needs unpacking
To grasp the inner meaning,
to resonate and sigh simpatico
requires instruction in decoding,
in removing layers until
only the barest language remains

First, remove all adjectives,
expunge adverbs and then reread
Find the key words, explore
meanings, dig beneath the surface,
look for the fault lines, an intersection
between your life and the writer's life

If all else fails
wipe the dust from your shoes,
and utter Hawthorne's words
Easy reading is damned hard writing.






April National Poetry Month

Day 8 instruction Poem