Wordsmith (Poem)

Wordsmith

Like a cat cat-tapping,
the poet fills in

the lines between
beginning and end,

her computer's hum
breaking keys' rhythm

as the mouse transmits
its winking warning

of energy critically low.
She scrolls the screen,

remembering what it was
like, scratching a nib

against yellowed onion
skin, bleeding from carbons

her editor's cold code,
making every syllable

count. On this page pulled
into a conceptual cloud,

white space consumes
and saves no less. Delete

holds no mark of meaning,
though, leaves no nub

fixed in the worn-down
eraser: trace encounter

of red lead-free pencil
with bitten biting edge.

© 2012 Maureen E. Doallas
_____________________________

This month, the theme at TweetSpeakPoetry and Every Day Poems is "The Poet". Join us. You can even have a playlist for accompaniment.