You must read Susan Spilecki’s response. Much fun!
Response to Robert Okaji’s “How to Write a Poem”
How to Revise a Poem
Having learned to make a toast in nine languages
And setting aside the chainsaw with which I carved
This poem out of a block of fresh ice, I take up the scalpel,
Heated over the blue flame of the gas stove. I stand
For a moment like a conductor in white tie and tails,
Waiting for the crowd to fall silent, and make the first cut
Into the heart of the poem. Does it bleed? Do the words
Fall to the dirt among the pigeons? Do the courtesies
Sound hollow or sincere? The moon pulls at my arm
Like a cat in search of dinner or a playmate. I accept all:
Love, envy, ambition, and drive the wrong way down
One-way streets. They won’t catch me. They will
Park their Black Marias on the sidestreet, dig…
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O at the Edges 
Most kind of you to reblog me. If you ever want to start a volley of poems, maybe for April’s National Poetry Month, just let me know. I have never had the opportunity to be in poetic conversation with a poet before. It’s fun!
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I really, really, really loved your poem!
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Admiration from a person of your skill and experience means more to me than I can express. Thank you.
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Your poem was the perfect follow-up! I’m so pleased that mine fomented yours.
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More fomentation! And fermentation! And other forms of poetry that end in -ation!
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Yes! Foment and ferment! We must have both.
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Oh, yeah. Dueling poets! I can hear the instruments warming up!
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I can hear the banjo now! Uh oh.
I once mentioned to my wife that I wouldn’t mine learning to play banjo. She replied: “I have one word for you. DIVORCE.” But she didn’t say anything about banjitars, which I still dream about. 🙂
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My mother threw my father’s banjo out the window. This was before I was born. For their 50th wedding anniversary, she gave him a banjo. How sweet is that? Your wife may change her mind. 😀
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I think she is a wise woman. All I need is to take up yet another instrument to play badly. Ha!
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This is brilliant! Such a great response! 🙂
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Susan knocked it out of the park!
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