Round 57

Yusef: "For Nazim Hikmet in the Old Prison, Now a Four Seasons Hotel" by Myra Shapiro

Bob: "Ends of the Earth" by Adrienne Rich

Myra Shapiro gives away the game in the title. The reader instantly writes the poem in his head just on the basis of the title, and then the actual poem can never win against this mental poem. Adrienne might like Myra's poem, actually. It is more sharply conceived than her own garrulous effort. I don't let myself be influenced by the poets' explanations in the back of the book. I did look back to see what Rich thought her poem was about, however: living in a room in an artist colony previously occupied by someone else.

This one's a tie, I'm afraid. Shapiro loses points for obviousness, Rich for pointless obfuscation. (Me who usually likes obfuscation.)

After 57

16-31-9