No part of this poetry should be reproduced in any form without written consent of the author, Joe DiMino, who retains all rights. contact: poet@light-cards.com

"Poetry 101" (by Joe DiMino)

Let me see...paper--nothing too glossy:
even the novice
instinctively knows
last thing
a serious
or not so serious poet needs
is wasting time
attempting to adhere
skiddy words
to slick, skating surfaces.

Pencils--yes! Lots of pencils--
with penetrating points;
and clean erasers--
used sparingly of course;
for only blank punctuation
or to smudge a few
doubtful words:
for gentle thumping of the forehead,
trying to coax those unruly
vowels and consonants
to fall from mind;
all those literary children--
Incorrigible!
God Love them!
A task getting them
to stop bouncing around long enough
and settle into some sensible
roll call 
with reasonably clean faces--

Oh!--almost forgot:
Learn to feel comfortable
undressing in public.