19. This Poem by Salena Godden - A Friend to Dan Simpson

In this episode you will hear Dan Simpson talking about the poem that has been a friend to him - 'This Poem' by Salena Godden.

Our huge thanks to Dan for joining us and speaking so eloquently and openly about his friendship with this poem. And to the ever-wonderful Salena Godden for granting us permission to feature the poem in this way. 'This Poem' can be found in Salena's collection 'Fishing In The Aftermath - Poems 1994-2014' from Burning Eye Books (2014).

Dan visited us in Lambeth, London and is in conversation with The Poetry Exchange team members Fiona Bennett and Al Snell.

'This Poem' is read by Al Snell.

*****

This Poem

by Salena Godden

This poem is not designed.

And this poem is not the map.

It is not written to give you something to relate to.

This poem will not be the words you recite to your lover in the night.

This poem will not be the words you scratch

into your prison cell walls with bleeding nails.

This poem is not designed to arouse you or even confuse you.

This poem will not make you laugh or cry or feel.

It will not be the lines that make you remember how to live.

It will not remind you of the time you cut your finger sledging,

as vivid as blood in the snow

and everlasting as the scar made that day.

This poem does not taste like old five-pence pieces,

and it will not sound like an ice cream van in summertime.

This poem will not enlighten you like a Buddhist prayer.

It will not fill you with wonder at the human condition.

This poem will not feed you like potatoes and gravy

and it will not answer your questions of being alone in this.

This poem cannot be your friend

or explain that reoccurring chewing-gum dream.

It will not stop you calling out in the night in cold and acrid sweat.

This poem cannot help you.

It will not inspire you to take up writing or even to continue.

This poem is not the way in or the way out.

It will not feel like winning and it will not feel like losing.

This poem will not make your bus come sooner.

It will not make your cake rise or guess the lottery numbers.

This poem is not written to be anything other than

what you want to read into it,

and if you expect a poem to ever do anything more

then you should read this full stop.

Salena Godden - 'Fishing In The Aftermath - Poems 1994-2014' by Burning Eye Books (2014).

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