Artists

they all step away
from recent effort
saying “isn’t that the greatest thing”

a portion
then look back and say
“isn’t that the worst thing ever”

even fewer 
say “hmmm…”
and get back to work on it

how few indeed of that last fragment
look at it when they’ve finished
say “it IS the greatest thing”

and then discard it
knowing that to have perfected it
is to have reached a dead end

those few drunk on growth
are the ones whose feet
I bend to kiss