today poetry seems to have lost its appeal
to the people…. today the people seem to have no
time for poetry
and the voices of the poets echo off the trees
in art galleries and museums.

today poetry seems to have become antiquated
and the voices of the poets echo off graffiti on pay toilet walls
in subway stations
and ladies of the evening recite verse to passing cars

today poetry is left to the poets
and underpaid martyrs teach verbal gymnastics two nights a week
at adult vocational schools
and the voices of the poets echo off the tombstones of poets long dead
but still alive and loud in the sounds that echo off their tombstones

today poetry is only understood by intellectuals with lofty thoughts
and Siddhartha reclines in the shade of a skyscraper contemplating
a shortcut to Nirvana
and the voices of the poets are given back to the poets
like spit spat against the wind
but the poets still speak… the poets WILL ALWAYS SPEAK!