Certainly one of my most favorite poets is Gary Snyder. He has inspired me for years to write about the natural wilderness, an endeavor that sparks the ecstatic in me. This short poem of his that follows in parenthesis, “How Poetry Comes To Me”, directly inspired me to write the poem that follows further below, “Why Poet”. I had been in discussion with members of a poetry group years ago. We were talking about where and how we find our muse. Holding in mind this poem by Gary, I wrote the first draft of “Why Poet”. I wrote this revision found here for this prompt.
Boulders at night, it stays
Frightened outside the
Range of my campfire
I go to meet it at the
Edge of the light
© Gary Snyder
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I like the path unclear
the route unmarked
fond of stumbling in
fumbling through
finding the way that’s mine
seduced by the clue
drawn to the fog
I seek the wonder
it withholds
my ears prick
to the distant sound
that calls
just beyond clarity
it is to this
my soul is pulled
because
down that path
around a curve
over a crest
hidden away
the truth dwells
rob kistner © 2021
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