Bacon wrote of Richard the Third
Admiring the roses in the Garden
The Bishop of Ely cultivated
Shakespeare took that line
And dropped it in his play about the man
They had different thoughts on
Plagiarism, and originality back
Then. Originality and
authorship
Weren’t privileged. I’ve
heard it said,
“The Play’s the thing.”
So when I look back and I
Want to tell you I love you,
I find -- The soil relents – rock is carved.
I find -- A universe
of meaning. The turn of the lip
I find -- AND THE WORDS AND THE METAPHOR FALLS AWAY
I find the deepness of my love for you has been expressed
Many times before, though not quite right.
And I’m stuck.
Stealing from myself.