Two Poems by Bob Holman: You Choose!

Here are two poems by Bob Holman. You are asked to choose between them. Much depends on your choice. For it has been said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who favor Brumal (“(Do Not Leave Out) The Invisible Line”) and those who prefer "The Tyranny of the Poem." In which category do you fall? Are you an Alice or a Mabel? As for me, I take refuge in Kierkegaard. I know the right answer but am honor bound to keep it a secret.  -- DL

(1)

Brumal (“(Do Not Leave Out) The Invisible Line”)

Solstice Day incites play in my poetic driveway
I get the picture -- take down the light fixture
The posse be sleepin by the chimney with care
A flashlight app blows up their green blacklight hair

So what if it's short?
          Fine poetic consort
And cold? Dusky dank?
          Take that to the bank

Let us sing to the balance of moon and sun
To the invisible line that connects everyone

(2)  The tyranny of the poem

It will never end
You will never be alone again
Beware
Everybody’s hand on the big pencil
Pushing out the first letter
Of the first word of the poem
Then go on from there
Go ahead
Go on into the theater
Never to return to this poem
Yet the poem waits for you
Right here where you left it
It is the tyranny of the poem
You can leave the poem
But the poem will never leave you
You will never be alone again

-- Bob Holman

Comments

[Paul Hoover]

I prefer “The Tyranny of the Poem,”’ which grows in strength and darkens
toward the end.

[Amy Lemmon]

Impossible to choose. I like them both!

[Russell Buker]

having published 21 books (self) proves to me the tyranny of the poem and the tryanny of editing said poem

[Rosanne Wasserman]

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0174%3Atext%3DSym.%3Asection%3D223d

[Andrei Codrescu]

too much sing-song in the first one, too much familiar terrain in the second, but outside of that, the first is more interesting

[Ron Antonucci]

The first one.

[M. C. Rush]

Personally, I prefer the second one, but I can see that the first has more potential.

[The Best American Poetry]

I like all these comments and agree with just about all of them. -- DL