Like Michelangelo’s ‘Prisoners’
The poem resides within
The stone of my mind
Just waiting to be released
By hand, a pen, a keyboard, chisel and hammer.
I’m a carver, in words, in poetry
Removing unneccessary stuff
The question is: have I removed enough?
The central core is ultimately revealed
Rough at first then finished and polished – nothing concealed.
Some work is unfinished but you can see
What the sculptor wanted to free
In fact the carver never feels he has finished
There’s nothing so perfect he cannot improve
by one further chip and one further move.
Do you know when you start how good it will look?
Do you have in your mind the finished result?
It takes shape as you work – you don’t really know
The metaphor’s obvious but you can exult
As, in your own eyes, you become Michelangelo.
C. Tim Taylor 2012