The Uncertainty of the Poet

[boxofdelights]

The Uncertainty of the Poet

I am a poet.
I am very fond of bananas.

I am bananas.
I am very fond of a poet.

I am a poet of bananas.
I am very fond.

A fond poet of 'I am, I am'-
Very bananas.

Fond of 'Am I bananas?
Am I?'-a very poet.

Bananas of a poet!
Am I fond? Am I very?

Poet bananas! I am.
I am fond of a 'very.'

I am of very fond bananas.
Am I a poet?

-- Wendy Cope

Published in "Serious Concerns", 1992, Faber & Faber.

Comments

[conuly]

Oh, I like that!

[rushthatspeaks]

Niiiiice. That reminds me of the way Gene Wolfe casually and quietly put out four short stories titled 'The Island of Doctor Death', 'The Doctor of Death Island', 'Death of the Island Doctor', and 'The Death of Doctor Island'. Three of the stories are even pretty good-- the last one is a clear case of needing to finish the set.

[carbonel]

Unless there are two stories with very similar names, the first one is actually "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories." Which meant that when he published all the related stories together, he could call the collection The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories.

[notasupervillain]

Oh my.

[isis]

I love Wendy Cope's poetry!

yay word play

[bibliofile]

How fun! And mathematical, a bit.