Famous

At first glance, “Famous” defies the expectations of traditional poetic form. There are no regular stanzas—the stanza lengths range from one to four lines—with no apparent pattern. Nothing in the form suggests particular stress or emphasis. The lines themselves do not scan like conventional poetry. The line length is irregular without evident plan. The diction is conversational. Unlike more conventional poetry whose elegant and intricate forms can alienate, even intimidate readers, the poem invites in readers.

Given that the poem celebrates the casual design of nature itself and the subtle patterns of connections that define humanity itself, that poetic form reflects the poet’s sense of world’s fractal delight. After all, the design is there. The poem, for instance, uses the construct “is famous” as a kind of refrain (a line, phrase, or word that is repeated for emphasis or rhythm), which allows the stanzas to each speak to the next. Each line creates a subtle aural cooperation through the use of assonance (the repetition of vowel sounds) and consonance (the repetition of consonant sounds) within lines to suggest patterning.