'America's Beggars' by Donal Mahoney

America’s Beggars
 
You won't find poetry anywhere
unless you bring some of it with you,
said Joseph Joubert,
 
a French writer whose day job
was working for Napoleon.
If Joubert was right and you have
 
poems marinating, then go out
and search everywhere for more.
You will find nice ones in the forest
 
twinkling in the eyes of a doe
or twitching in the ears of a rabbit.
Add them to your marinade and then
 
go into the city and you will find more 
blazing in the eyes of America’s beggars.
There’s room in your marinade for more.
 
 
Donal Mahoney