Poetry is like a woman in the simplest dress.

Poetry's cousins (prose, fiction, dissertation, etc.) require adornment,

whereas poetry is like a woman who puts on a mass of jewelry,

and then one by one

removes each piece

until she is wearing only

a singular sliver of gold or silver.

Poetry likes sparsity

but is not afraid of complexity.

Poetry is like breath,

essential,

but quiet in a room full of chatter.

Poetry is prayer,

poetry is a friend in darkness,

poetry is a beacon of light,

illuminating.