Day 22

 I'm ambivalent about Dickinson and took ages to choose a poem and when I did I didn't like my effort. 

So, I did a golden shovel instead, which took absolutely ages..

Here's the original:

 Tell all the truth but tell it slant —

 Success in Circuit lies

 Too bright for our infirm Delight

 The Truth's superb surprise

 As Lightning to the Children eased

 With explanation kind

 The Truth must dazzle gradually

 Or every man be blind —

 The player of chess, the speaker of Latin

(The last word of each line spells out the poem)

 

 It is too hard to tell

 you everything, dear reader, all

 references drift, all the

 things that mean something. A truth is truth

 itself, and yet a lie, but

 still, the joy is in the tell

 

 Like when the poker player puts it

 down, the winning card, a half slant

 on the table -  See, the success

 of sleight is sleight itself, a way in,

 a technique to short the circuit,

 papering the blanks with paper lies.

 

 He doesn't want to gamble,  luck's too

 lucky,  Nevada light too bright,

 even in this imaginary place for

 dreamers. This is an ancient rite, our

 slow, tired game, played by the old, infirm

 

 but rich and richer- those who delight

 in profit loss, when the

 game is only bingo. Deal in the truths

 when the gods play cards, are quite superb

 and cruel, betting on one big, better surprise.

 

 The rules intangible as

 dreams, the rules are clear as lightning,

 explained to lawyers, explained to

 sleepers even. There is no point to the

 games we played as children,

   winning small and losing eased

 

 by poetry. I feel that I'm confusing you with

 logic. You are the question and the explanation-

 ken become kin may become kind -

 this is how language works,  the

 way that language is the game, a truth

 of sorts that must 

 be tested again again , will dazzle

 like a sad song, dulling gradually

 

 This wasn't what he meant to say at all, or

 isn't what he thinks his every 

   gambit is about.  He is a man

   or not a man , taking his  turn. It will be

   cards unseen, we will be blind.