? close reading

close reading

"Close reading" describes a need.
A need to understand is what reading
responds to, but "need" brings something
emotional, deeper, singled out.
The poem describes writing a poem
in a restaurant, but we know this is just
a metaphor. Is it metapoetic? Not really,
because the poem is not about
reading a poem, scare quotes.
It is not a good poem, it is not a good reader,
who cannot spin double, triple meanings
around each word, picture images line by line.
But close reading is not about a grand picture.
It is laying out the words, kindling expectations.
It goes back to the text, back to the text.