A Poem, More or Less (after Porchia)*

One can never say enough— 
It has to be less or more, 
Till what’s left is just 
What you’re looking for. 


 *The catalyst for the above: 

     “Whatever I take, I take too much or too little; I do 
not take the exact amount. The exact amount is no use 
to me.” 

--from “Voices,” translated by W.S. Merwin, Big Table Publishing Company: Chicago, 1969.

Incredible Evidence Reexamined: The Porchia Memorandum

All these things I have seen, how 
Could I not have seen them? 

Found Poem: Le Mal du Pays

Dear Mr. Porchia, 

I found a copy of your Voices at the goodwill outlet 
Ready for the trash bin and rescued it 
Because it was bold enough 
To feature one of my favorite 
Magritte paintings as its cover— 
You know, the one with a man leaning 
On the edge of a bridge, looking 
At the water, with a lion behind him 
Looking the other way — 
Before then, I did not know 
Poetry could be one or two lines alone. 

I think I’ll keep it. 

Making Do with Less

Whatever I take, I take too much or too little; I do 

not take the exact amount. The exact amount is no use 

to me. 

—Antonio Porchia, Voices 

Antonio, tell you what— 

Today I’m going 

To take more of what 

I didn’t take yesterday— 

The rest I’ll leave 

For tomorrow;

That should pretty well do it.