I'm not a big fan of the idea of the 'easy win' or the 'found poem' but neither do I think that the best poems are achieved by hard work. The best poems occur, almost naturally, almost as given things, if not quite by osmosis and, as can happen late on a Friday night, I was listening to some old favourite pop records and I wondered if some wise advice to all my poet friends, heroes and fellow travellers could be derived by replacing the word 'love' in Diana Ross and The Supremes' unsurpassable Stop! in the Name of Love with the word 'poetry'.I know that if I hadn't written the worst half of all the poems I've ever written, I'd be the better poet for it. But it's not for me to say that the same thing applies to other poets.
Let's see what happens.
Stop! in the Name of Poetry
(Holland/Dozier/Holland/Green)
to all the poets I've known
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Before you break my heart
Baby, baby
I'm aware of where you go
Each time you leave my door
I watch you walk down the street
Knowing your other poetry you'll meet
But this time before you run to her
Leaving me alone and hurt
(Think it over) After I've been good to you
(Think it over) After I've been sweet to you
Each time you leave my door
I watch you walk down the street
Knowing your other poetry you'll meet
But this time before you run to her
Leaving me alone and hurt
(Think it over) After I've been good to you
(Think it over) After I've been sweet to you
Stop! In the
name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
I've known of
your
Your secluded nights
I've even seen her
Maybe once or twice
But is her sweet expression
Worth more than my poetry and affection
But this time before you leave my arms
And rush off to her charms
(Think it over) Haven't I been good to you
(Think it over) Haven't I been sweet to you
Your secluded nights
I've even seen her
Maybe once or twice
But is her sweet expression
Worth more than my poetry and affection
But this time before you leave my arms
And rush off to her charms
(Think it over) Haven't I been good to you
(Think it over) Haven't I been sweet to you
Stop! In the
name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
I've tried so
hard, hard to be patient
Hoping you'd stop this infatuation
But each time you are together
I'm so afraid I'll be losing you forever
Hoping you'd stop this infatuation
But each time you are together
I'm so afraid I'll be losing you forever
Stop! In the
name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of poetry