'It just needs editing'

 

“Poetry is everywhere.   It just needs editing.”– James Tate

 

Born in Kansas City, MO on Dec. 8, 1943 Tate grew up hoping to become a gas station attendant.  After struggling in high school and overcoming being in a gang, he fell in love with writing while taking college classes on a dare.

  

Ultimately he earned three college degrees, taught poetry and creative writing in several major colleges, and became one of America’s greatest poets, winning both the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award.    He authored 16 books of poetry and 30 books altogether before his death from cancer in 2015.   For Saturday’s Poem, here is Tate’s,

 

                                         Teaching The Ape To Write Poems

                                                    They didn’t have much trouble

                                                    Teaching the ape to write poems:

                                                    First they strapped him into the chair,

                                                    Then tied the pencil around his hand

                                                     (The paper had already been nailed down).

                                                     Then Dr. Bluespire leaned over his shoulder

                                                     And Whispered into his ear:

                                                    “You look like a god sitting there.

 

                                                      Why don’t you try writing something?”