I reading a poem, I work on it three times in a row- first for voice, trying to hear the overall voice behind the text- witty, yearning, mercurial, dark, young etc, second I go line by line diligently working the metrics and mechanics with my theory of voice in mind( why does the line break here? This word works in two ways here. This metaphor means xyz) . Finally the third time I try to read it with a deep understanding of it that' s more effortless. Sometimes it will feel right, sometimes I will start over bc it is like wood that needs the grain sanded more- too rough.

Adam Phillips seems to feel for people in that way, in a processes of listening and checking for what he hears, but letting it all be fragile and ever-changing and quicksilver.