[Skip Navigation]

Plagiarist Poetry Sites: Plagiarist.com | Poetry X | Poetry Discussion Forums | Open Poetry Project | Joycean.org
Enter our Poetry Contest
Win Cash and Publication!

Plagiarist.com Archive

More poems by David LehmanDavid Lehman | Print this page.Print | View and Write CommentsComments | Books by David LehmanBooks by David Lehman

April 19

David Lehman

We have too much exhibitionism 
and not enough voyeurism
in poetry we have plenty of bass
and not enough treble, more amber
beer than the frat boys can drink but
less red wine than meets the lip
in this beaker of the best Bordeaux,
too much thesis, too little antithesis
and way too much New York Times
in poetry we've had too much isolationism
and too few foreign entanglements
we need more Baudelaire on the quai 
d'Anjou more olive trees and umbrella pines 
fewer leafless branches on the rue Auguste Comte
too much sociology not enough Garcia Lorca
more colons and dashes fewer commas
less love based on narrow self-interest
more lust based on a feast of kisses
too many novels too few poems
too many poets not enough poetry

Added: 25 Feb 2002 | Last Read: 9 Jul 2025 6:43 AM | Viewed: 4535 times

A PoetryNotes™ Analysis of April 19 by David Lehman, is Available!

A PoetryNotes™ eBook is available for this poem for delivery within 24 hours, and usually available within minutes during normal business hours.

ON SALE - only $29.95 19.95!

For more information...


URL: http://plagiarist.com/poetry/2821/ | Viewed on 9 July 2025.
Copyright ©2025 Plagiarist - All rights reserved.