Eating Poetry - A poem by Mark Strand

Mark Strand - Eating Poetry

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry.

The librarian does not believe what she sees.
Her eyes are sad
and she walks with her hands in her dress.

The poems are gone.
The light is dim.
The dogs are on the basement stairs and coming up.

Their eyeballs roll,
their blond legs burn like brush.
The poor librarian begins to stamp her feet and weep.

She does not understand.
When I get on my knees and lick her hand,
she screams.

I am a new man.
I snarl at her and bark.
I romp with joy in the bookish dark.

Added: on March 14th, 2006 at 4:48 PM | Viewed: 13216 times | Comments (5)

Eating Poetry - Comments and Information
Poet: Mark Strand Poem: Eating Poetry Volume: Selected Poems Year: Published/Written in 1980 Poem of the Day on: Jul 26 2003 Comment 5 of 5, added on June 18th, 2006 at 11:08 PM. I agree with the last comment. Eating the poems is suggests internalizing the thoughts and beauty contained in poems--perhaps even obtaining nurishment from them. The librarian is a rule enforcer, she's be happier if he read the books and was not affected by them. Jason from United States Comment 4 of 5, added on April 11th, 2006 at 1:44 AM. This is a great poem symbolising the mans dislike for poetry, when this hatred is released he become a mindless poem eating machine Danika from Australia Comment 3 of 5, added on March 14th, 2006 at 4:48 PM. everyone seems to think the guy is causing a ruckus in the liobrary but my thoughts are tht he has a dislike for literature and istearing it up and the dogs represent the librarians sadness and fury...as her sadness increase so does the dogs reaction...and the ending i think makes him think of all thebooks he can tear up.....my mother thought of the book bannings in the 30's...it seems very plausible Lauren More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Eating Poetry, has received 5 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Mark Strand with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!

Poem Info
Eating Poetry Volume: Selected Poems Year: Published/Written in 1980 Last read: 2008-07-04 04:34:14 Poem of the Day on: Jul 26 2003 Viewed 13216 times. Added on March 14th, 2006 at 4:48 PM.

Strand Info
Biography More Poems (16 poems) Books