This Is Not A Poem

Poetry revolts against restrictions. It can take any form it wants and turn itself even into non-poetry. Now somehow a visual parallel, Rene Magritte's painting: "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" appears in my mind. The image shows a pipe but you cannot smoke it. It is not really a pipe after all. And so, by telling a lie the painting reveals the truth. Another favorite example of mine is the story about Robert Rauschenberg who in 1961 was asked to create a picture of Iris Clert, the owner of a Paris gallery. In lieu of a painting, the artist sent to Paris a witty telegram: "This is a portrait of Iris Clert, if I say so". Personally I like to experiment with words; To blur the boundaries between poetry and prose. Therefore what you read here is not a poem. Yet, on the other hand, you might call it a narrative poem, or a prose poem, or a vers libre, an open poetic form that sheds rhyme, consistent cadence, meter patterns and, instead, it follows the musical rhythm of natural speech.