Lest You Come to Admire

Lest You Come to Admire My Art too Greatly

For those who stand in awe of poets because of what they do--here's something to lower your estimation. I suppose we can refer to this as "daily doggerel."

Nessie Steven Riddle (upon reading that an Italian geologist "solved" the mystery of the Loch Ness monster)

The Loch Ness Monster
appears with a shake,
so we must dismiss it
as an earthquake.

The Latin is clear,
what Columba fought
shouldn't be feared
and shouldn't be thought

of as monster
at all, but a roll
and a shudder,
a shifting of Earth.

Thus dies a mystery,
without a fight,
we undo all history
and put out all light.

©2002 Steven Riddle

Even Dylan, with all his grace and aplomb will find it extraordinarily difficult to find anything redeeming in this poem. If you are all a very polite audience, I will not try your patience with my other little spectacular piece "Evolution." Although, because I'm feeling mean, I will share the following untitled "poem" written to my Grandmother.

Untitled Steven Riddle to my Grandmother, on her birthday

The day you were born
was the happiest day of my life,
for without you,
my father would have no wife.

©2002 Steven Riddle

There, that should take care of your esteem for poets for a while!