By: James Aitchison

A poem is a collection of words
that don’t belong anywhere else.

But don’t let the writing show, they say.
Hide the scaffold of structure.

Break forms!
Have I made an exciting mistake?

Some words are scabs to be picked at;
they bleed, heal, become better.

Let punctuation fall like rain or not.
Metaphors: One or two won’t hurt.

Search your grief like an oncologist:
Peck, peck.

A poem is a collection of words
that don’t belong anywhere else.