In the 1950's, Lawrence Ferlinghetti wrote a small collection of poems entitled "A Coney Island of the Mind". In this collection, the following poem, number 15, is found.
Only about a dozen people in the world know the true special meaning of this poem for me.
Constantly risking absurdity
and death
whenever he performs
above the heads
of his audience
a poet like an acrobat
climbs on rime
to a high wire of his own making
and balancing on eyebeams
above the sea of faces
paces his way
to the other side of day
performing entrechats
and sleight of foot tricks
and other high theatrics
and all without mistaking
any thing
for what it may not be
For he's the super realist
who must perforce percieve
taut truth
before the taking of each stance or step
in his supposed advance
toward that still higher perch
where Beauty stands and waits
with gravity
to start her death defying leap
And he
a little charleychaplin man
who may or may not catch
her fair eternal form
spreadeagled in the empty air
of existence
~Lawrence Ferlinghetti
****This poem is not my property. It is copyrighted to Mr. Ferlinghetti. I'm sorry I couldn't ask you, sir, but I don't have your phone number.****