Came the light of grace
That is, whatever for you defines grace
I said that if your intention is to say that
Then there must be no ambiguity
Your words need to be sure, secure, and clear
For only with absolute clarity
Can your voice be passed on
To meet with the next man
I could see and sense the unease
Your brow ruffled
Your lips quivered
Being tied down is not your kind of thing
Always desirous of space in which to move
Nevertheless your desire, or hope
For your words to be understood
Perhaps even widely transmitted to boot
Ensures some level of acceptance
As other's guidance becomes palpable
In the lightness of the mood
There was a casual consensus
About how the previous four poets
Had all placed themselves
At the very beginning of their poems
(As if all had been students of Fred D'Aguiar)
And they had all introduced
Something ever so slightly
Out of the ordinary
In such a way as to turn
An ordinary phrase
Into a poetic utterance
