On Some Differences in Style

On Some Differences in Style

I.

(Canadian

Spare arctic landscape scoured

clean of colour by the howling blast.

Wind trims every stripling, eats

bark from trees, polishes

snow to steel, leaves

no moss.

We survive

as lichens do:

grey whorls tightly clinging.

Poetic

Build no fires.

Let/ no searing tongues leap.

(Let nothing be

visible

anywhere/ on the plain.)

Advice

Cover is everything.)

II. Rules for American Poetry

1. Add every word you know. Extra locutions too!

2. Make it jump! Make it jazz! Make it jangle, rumble, rattle and rhyme.

3. A little chili; let it sizzle; fry some fat; do add salt.

4. Bite down hard.

5. Let crumbs fly.

6. The sun is high, don’t bother with a hat.

Karin Cope

Columbus, Ohio, USA //West Quoddy, NS, CANADA