Mark Strand, The New Poetry Handbook.
For Greg Orr and Greg Simon
1 If a man understands a poem,
2 If a man lives with a poem,
3 If a man lives with two poems,
he shall be unfaithful to one.
4 If a man concives a poem,
he shall have one less child.
5 If a man concives of two poems,
he shall have two children less.
6 If a man wears a crown on his head as he writes,
7 If a man wears no crown on his head as he writes,
he shall deceive no one but himself.
8 If a man gets angry at a poem,
he shall be scorned by men.
9 If a man continues to be angry at a poem,
he shall be scorned by women.
10 If a man publicaly denounces poetry,
his shoes will fill with urine.
11 If a man gives up poetry for power,
he shall have lots of power.
12 If a man brags about his poems,
he shall be loved by fools.
13 If a man brags about his poems and loves fools,
14 If a man craves attention because of his poems,
he shall be like a jackass in moonlight.
15 If a man writes a poem and praises the poem of a
he should have a beautiful mistress.
16 If a man writes a poem and praises the poem of a
he shall drive his mistress away.
17 If a man claims the poem of another,
his heart shall double in size.
18 If a man lets his poems go naked,
he shall be saved by his poems.
20 If a man does not fear death,
he may or may not be saved by his poems.
21 If a man finishes a poem,
he shall bathe in the blank wake of his passion
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