Poet's Rant: Poet's Disclaimer: What I think my writing might say

I have edited the following rant:

let me just say that I meant no offense to any of my dear readers as I am lucky if anyone reads my poetry and grateful to hear from any reader at any time...

remember the most important intrepretation for any reading is what the reader thinks...not the creator..

having said such I leave a few comments in this entry intact:

What I think my writing might say...


I like to think that some of my poems may be for anyone who has ever experienced a loss, lost a love, experienced loneliness, or the shock or joy of unexpected events that occur in interpersonal relating (what dialogicians call the 'surprise of the other' or Buber called a 'meeting' or 'mismeeting'). For me, life is full of the horror of mismeetings and the grace of meetings as well.

I must tell you that if you read them carefully, many of my poems celebrate both otherness, transcendence of that otherness, and the redemptive power of a coming or returning love--if one does not give up hope! And sometimes this love can be divine...ask any seeker at a spiritual retreat about that!

Does this mean that my writing is all about ME? (Yes I have lost loves, divine and temporal, but there are other levels here in my writing). I prefer to think it is about being human.

Also, there is an essentialist perspective lacking in my writing. The concrete particular of my dialogical views point to a belief that I do have: a belief that brings to any current dialogue between person and person the creation of a shared possibility, but constructed moment. These moments are more real than any past events, for the present is what we have the most to deal with. If mind is created socially then there is a longing for the social in the non essentialist, that dictates an understanding that existence precedes essence--a common existential view.

So, please dear readers in the spirit of dialogue, Ask instead: how does my poem ( or any poem) speak to you in the moment?, not: just what does it say about me (the poet)? And if you now can, not what I think it is saying as it was even written above...or any of my blog entries.

Many of my poems are highly sensitive to the importance (or appreciation and esteem) of the other. So, my work strives to say that others are very important. Also as a romantic poet finding others in love is a wonderful thing!  For me, this is especially feminine otherness. Masculinity without femininity is dead.

I appreciate any and all readers of my work. I am happy to hear from them. And be in dialogue with you all persons, and other sentient beings (like conscious robots ;-) ) I do welcome your views.

tim kavi
smiling even joking across the abyss