Second Hand

Second Hand

 

i'm just a simple

word extraordinaire

i pound the keys

into submission

 

the surviving words

capitulate

and eradicate

deeply maligned emotions

 

the others

find thin air

a sanctuary

waiting for another poet

 

to come and retrieve them

reprieve them

revise them into being

used words, used poems.

 

 

erin-cilberto

12/20/2025

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Second hand, I drifted to Barbara Streisand. She was singing second hand rose. Nothing second hand there, nor with your poetry j. Happy new year to you. Every good wish from across the pond.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thanks so much, Chris. Happy New Year.
j.

[Mauricio Montoya]

I think they call playgremism we wrote but hey ply on someone other words.
Thank you for sharing
1

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Mauricio, I think all of my poetry is plagiarism...I don't know where any of it comes from.
j.

[Mauricio Montoya]

Not you you are a great writer

[Betty Hermelee]

Nothing you write J...is second hand....you can squeeze them and toss them and they will come bouncing back to you!!!! I feel the same way you do....getting old and tired..." thin air, sanctuary, waiting for another poet"...great line!
Happy holidays to a great poet!!!
Warmly, B

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for that very kind compliment...it encourages me.
j.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Poetry is a lost art form and we are a dying breed. It's to bad we an't get the new generation to apreciate the art of poetry.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, I am afraid poetry might die out...
I do reviews for Highland Park Poetry and there is still some really good stuff out there. Only problem is that most of the authors I review are 35 or older...no youngins.
thanks Cowboy.

[Randall]

Someday, someone will come along and place your poem in a bag, shake it up, and then toss it on a table. It will come out in the same order because it is so well written. And of course, maybe, because sometimes all the stars align just right. But I chose well written Jacob.

Randall...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I think it is luck...but thank you for your kind words, Randall.
j.

[Lorry]

This reminds me of the great B.B. King singing second hand woman, which may sound a bit sexist and unwoke, until you get to the hook of 🎶 'cos after all baby im a second hand man. 🎶
Used words are the best though, are they not. If they weren't used they wouldn't be known... Which btw, does not make them like the horrible phrase used for second hand books and clothes of "pre loved!" Yeuch! 😀

[jacob erin-cilberto]

very true that if they weren't used, they wouldn't be known. Interesting that you bring up B.B. King...was just chatting the other night with my ex wife about him...she met B.B. in a bar in NY and had a dance with him...She said he was a real gentleman.

[Lorry]

I met him at Koko Taylor's Bar during the Chicago blues festival and he was a gentleman. Koko was great too, despite calling us Scotch! 😀

[Lorry]

Think it was 2001 or 2.