Anagram Poem: Predicting Violence from Drunken Boat

I had forgotten about this poem. It hasn't been included in any of my books, and well, I kind of like it. I stumbled upon it today in the Drunken Boat archives. You can listen to it here.


Predicting Violence 

For most creative people, the imagination serves as an excretory channel for violence: we visualize what we will never actually do.

—Stephen King

Because words equal sword,
and creative writing essays produce

tragic varsity weenies, 

we find violence instead of nice love.

We believe our young are evil

and think: rage, love, ruin you. 

Like snipers needing a child, 

danger hides in pencils. 

We worry about their letters.

She writes to a boy
in the marching band: Hi drummer. 

But could it be: murder him?

These words 

throw seeds

and art with its slathered howl 

heals the world.
And a child’s voice speaks—
avoids cliché, just valid choices

reflecting a devil so chic.

But we don’t listen—our tinseled town 

now a wilted sonnet;

we rearrange woman writer 
into her own timeworn war.

The love of words should not mean wolf or doves—
by tasting arrows

an artist grows.

~ Kells 
www.agodon.com
www.twosylviaspress.com

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