Beyond Memory

I have been writing poetry for about forty-five years and I have several rather inflexible beliefs about what I think poetry should be. First and foremost I believe poetry should be readable. One should not need a PhD in literature to understand the meaning. Secondly poetry should be lyrical. It does not need to be structured into a form but it can be. The language should flow however. Thirdly poetry should evoke emotion. It should touch some common human chord. It should remind us of an emotional space where we have been before. I hope I have achieved at least some of these goals in these poems.