a syllabic lack of evidence

a syllabic lack of evidence

a poet's interrogation

lasts for pages of printed lies

confounding the curious readers

with extended metaphors

that drag on for days of reexamination

bright lights do not uncover themes

they burn them deeper between the lines

the suspect leaves so much to the imagination

the confession is just smeared ink

the pen stabs the interrogator in the eye

with misdirection

and with a very steady hand

that could easily pass a lie detector

the poet writes cursively creative

verse to free himself

from impending confinement.

erin-cilberto

7/7/25

Reviews

[Desert Knave]

I have always tried to leave some of the story to fill in for the reader, but have a habit of over-telling the story. ~Jim

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Jim.
j.

[Kady R.]

Woowww another thought provoking and well written poem!! Immediately my thought were of the movie Tolkien and a quote one of the main character says I'm paraphrasing it but how the arts can change the world and I'm a believer that poetry is among those, just like you stated "confounding the curious reader."

I don't necessarily use my poetry to change the world but to help me grow in creative writing and also help me with the healing process from my mental illness. So I completely related to "verse to free himself."

Thanks for sharing such wonderful writing Jacob Erin-cilberto!!!🤗🤗🤗

[jacob erin-cilberto]

And poetry has the power to kill and the power to heal...as Emily Dickenson wrote.
Thank you, Kady.
j.

[Kady R.]

Wonderfully put!!🤗🤗🤗

[Sami Khalil]

I hope poets' end up in Aligator Alcatraz where to free themselves from the Orangee absurd verdicts , they will be attacked viciously by those fearsome Aligators.
What goes around, will come around eventually.
A worthy poem.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Sami....yes those alligators are not friendly. Don't make good pets.
j.

[Sami Khalil]

Hehehe
You are welcome sir Jacob.

[---]

It sound like there's a specific person, a writer, that frustrates you. It sounds like the very act of reading him makes you angry - as though you're willing to criticize him, alone, on the basis that you don't like him; that you don't like that he doesn't like you, and because you don't like the way he makes you feel.

If it were me, and I hated a person that deeply, the simple act of seeing them smile, would infuriate me. If it were me, I might even go out of my way to kick dirt in their direction, as often as I could, whenever I saw them happy, and only with enough distance so they could never truly retaliate.

Like a child would, on a play ground at school.

But that's just hypothetical. Hard to say what you're feeling with this one. Besides, I don't think I have the spite for something like that.

Cheers Jacob. Be well.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

No particular person...but I see where you are coming from in your interpretation.
Makes perfect sense.
thanks, Ook.