To Angela, Who Is Afraid of Clowns

A POEM

By Evelyn Bence | September 1983

Clowns are grandfathers

painted with strokes of laughter

who kiss lollipops

but never lick them.

Save your terror, child,

for snakes who talk of biting fruit

and wolves who scheme of eating girls.

What Is the Purpose of Poetry?

Poetry was once understood to be an anthropological episteme, a way of knowing, if only through a glass darkly.

To Phoebe*

Phoebe,

Gentle handmaid

Of us all,

Who assisted Paul

And others

Of the early church,

…

Enlightenment

“Browning soon worked out of unbelief to an undogmatic, respectable form of theism.” — confidently…