When poets focus their gaze on
the plight of the poor, benighted poet,
mired in the madding era of mass media,
then, poets ingratiate themselves
To kings, dukes, deans, doges, czars,
popes, imams, emirs, satraps, muftis,
oligarchs, mob bosses, ward healers,
sheriffs, brown nosers, et alia,
And thus abdicate the ancient office
of poet, realm of the next Homer –
self-refreshing heralds of generations.
Dave Read