Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Richard Price

The idea

The idea

The idea

I know I can’t mean
as much to you
as you me. I

don’t know. Your
meaning, your
meaning. Nothing

is secure, the idea.
Boundlessness.
Short of breath.

I know there’s who
and there’s… the idea,
the idea of who. I

don’t know. “I
don’t-feel-the-same-way” –
but you

trust me – entrust
confidences –
are right to.

A friendship of months
yet I kiss
as a friend,

almost a friend,
of years. I...
“try-to-keep-things-light”

and I hope.
Close

The idea

I know I can’t mean
as much to you
as you me. I

don’t know. Your
meaning, your
meaning. Nothing

is secure, the idea.
Boundlessness.
Short of breath.

I know there’s who
and there’s… the idea,
the idea of who. I

don’t know. “I
don’t-feel-the-same-way” –
but you

trust me – entrust
confidences –
are right to.

A friendship of months
yet I kiss
as a friend,

almost a friend,
of years. I...
“try-to-keep-things-light”

and I hope.

The idea

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère