It's just poetry, it won't bite

An Unfortunate Misspelling


10.14.09 Posted in Birthdays, today's words, Writers on writing by

Brad Nelson is a former backyard samurai and blue jeans Zen master who spends most of his time now on the back porch with his pipe and a cup of coffee. He retired his sword and took up the pen after serving five years as an interrogator in the US Army. Brad is also a creative writing MFA candidate at National University and Chief Editor of Eclectic Flash, a new online literary journal dedicated to publishing flash fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and anything else you can think of in fewer than 1000 words. Brad’s literary endeavors are forthcoming through a number of online and print publications–just as soon as he can decide where to send each piece. In this poem Brad takes us on a witty journey through the twists and turns, ups and downs of devotion to this craft we call writing. Follow and identify.

An Unfortunate Misspelling
By Brad Nelson

I once misspelled my name B-A-R-D
And imagined myself connected to He of the same,
To whom we refer as The Immortal.
So I wrote a verse or two.

I wrote of life and death;
I wrote of war and peace.
It was good,
And I called it poetry.

Now, I wonder who wrote those lines,
Rhymes, cliche, imagery vague,
An inspired murder of my mother tongue.
How I had offended Him.

I still manage a few shaky-handed lines of scrawl.
That spear-shaking sadist of the sonnet ever critical.
But I have corrected my misspelling;
I now sign my poetry D-R-A-B.

You may find the greatest of my work published
In the bottom drawer of my writing desk.



2 Responses to “An Unfortunate Misspelling”

  1. Bobbie Troy says:

    Thanks, Brad. That was fun. Look forward to checking out your new website and submitting some work!

  2. Jean says:

    Soooo writer-like in self-criticism. Humor is missing in much of poetry. Delightful.

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