The creator is dead

[Erthona]

"I also need input for the poem's title - this started life as 'When a poet dies' " Actually, "When a Poet Dies" was what I was going to suggest. I suppose you could use, "On the death of a poet", but I think that would apply more to a eulogy type poem.

There is nothing. (Not wild about that as a opening line)
No channel for wisdom or wit.
Unclaimed, unwritten words
wait for life
closely gathered in corners of his bed-sitting room.
New phrases and old phrases, revamped,
huddle on wardrobe tops
eager to be marshalled and drilled.
But he’s gone.
Bewildered, they bunch in nonsensical groups
timid frightened and, sad.
In silence they weep
as slowly they sink
to mingle with the dust layered there.
They cling to the kettle, the cooker, the fridge
a patina of waste.
There is no-one to
shape or mould,
to push, cajole or coerce,
to create
an everlasting verse.

"Unclaimed, unwritten words
wait for life
closely gathered in corners of his bed-sitting room."

When I first read this sentence, due to how you have lineated it, I did not catch the metaphor.

"as slowly they sink
to mingle with the dust layered there.
They cling to the kettle, the cooker, the fridge
a patina of waste."

This is a nice image, and "a patina of waste" is a great line.

"There is no-one to
shape or mould,
to push, cajole or coerce,
to create
an everlasting verse."

Suggest

"There is no-one to
shape - mold,
push, cajole, or coerce.
No one left to create
everlasting verse."
(So tightly tied is a poem,
to a poet's fate)

Those last two lines just kind of popped into my head as I was reading this over.

I guess I am supposed to give you feedback appropriate to the forum, but I confess I am somewhat lacking in the ability to equivocate, and to guess at what might bother someone or not. However, you are. So whatever you think is not good for this level of forum, ignore, OK?

Dale