This Poem Could Never Be Good Enough

This poem is a pool of
clear water crowded with shells, this
poem is writing itself as it is written

by me. This poem came
down from G-d, and is beautiful
simply for that, this poem

may never consider that
enough. This poem may
move through the world convinced

that it needs to be a poem
by Robert Creeley or Rae
Armantrout, this poem

wishes it was by Ellyn Maybe.
This poem wishes it could be Ellyn
Maybe. This poem thinks that you

would like it better if you knew
the poet. This poem
may be wrong about that.

Remember the water, and the shells?
This poem doesn't. This poem has tiny fish
schooling inside it, vivid little red-finned

fish weaving among themselves in the blue-
green light filtering through the gaps
in my keyboard. Still

this poem would prefer to be a bird.


[from New Problems]