Advice for Aspiring Writers

“Try talking yourself out of it.” Richard Ford

But, of course, you can’t, or won’t.
And at night the poem persists
inserting itself into what you write

insisting: write that, write this.
Take down this plea and ignore
that report. Well, don’t resist.

Go on and bite. But
for heaven’s sake pare most
of it away. Revise, rewrite.