Prestidigitation (Ars Poetica)

Pursue the illusion, always.

Direct their eye—make the small things
feel as big as they actually are.

Fool them to make them think
there’s still magic in this world.

It’s only legerdemain if you’re careful,
otherwise it’s just lying. People hate

feeling deceived; they love listening
to a story—invite them onstage,

make it seem like a reveal,
but hit the lights just before.

Torn and restored, false transfer,
all tacticians know the secret:

every insurrection is caused
by an ounce of misdirection.

WILLIAM WARD BUTLER

William Ward Butler is the poet laureate of Los Gatos, California. He is the author of the chapbook Life History from Ghost City Press. His recent poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Bennington Review, Denver Quarterly, Switchyard, and other journals. He is a poetry reader for TriQuarterly and co-editor-in-chief of Frozen Sea: frozensea.org