Discerning Ear

Started out sans peace and light, at last
a verse which eased concern and brought
a smile – began again to like a nagging
curse that’s banging fragile frontal lobes
of mouldy-cheese recycled brain.

Why do novice writers pen such tripe?
They’d not survive a public reading – yet
delight expressed for verse read well is
heady beer. Durst I suggest, first read your
verse aloud – listen with discerning ear!

The ear will know where words are right
or wrong before the reader’s plight is
compromised; a chance to rectify a line,
change the tone, improve the metric slant
– enhance the inner tune you want.

Or listen to another read the piece, hear
your words misread and mangled, dead
& dying as you grit your teeth, agonise
for words you meant an essence of the
best of rhythms flow. Oh yes, try it – you

will guess how once they’re writ, your
words are at the mercy of a readers’ wit.
Or lack of it. So sing them out aloud, listen
in, discard or make the changes long before
you rashly post such dreadful things...
© 7 February 2008, I. D. Carswell