Albatross

For Tom Raworth
A commentary on his poem Albatross Drawer, which consists of the single line “This drawer is for albatrosses.” 

An albatross is not an albatross
Is not is not the same for golfers or
nithologists or ancient mariners.
Nor is a drawer necessarily
A sliding receptacle; it may be
An artist keen to sketch a sea-soar bird,
Or air mechanic pulling an Albatross
Out of its hangar to taxi for take-off.
Albatross drawers aren’t, or don’t, all fit,
Whether drawing, drawn on, or filed in them.
Therefore whatever albatrosses do
They should do it out of drawers.

Brian S. Lee

If you have any comments on this poem,  Brian S. Lee would be pleased to hear from you.