God’s in This World, All’s Pyrite in Heaven

God’s in This World, All’s Pyrite in Heaven

“God’s in His heaven–

All’s right with the world!”

~ Robert Browning

When poets enter other people’s brains,

Especially the made up ones, the threat

Is like paradisal tree that strains

Itself producing different fruits, a set

Of separate ones from month to month, say pear,

Then apple, orange.  Silliness might come.

A little girl’s mistaken thoughts might blare

In innocence.  They might be more like scum

On optimism.  Or it may be worst

Will happen in a pessimistic mind.

The likelihood is there’ll be a burst

Of wrongness twelve time over, just refined.

  Unless it’s Shakespeare at his tragic best,

    The poet may turn out to be a minor pest.

Phillip Whidden