Happy Poem in Your Pocket Day! The point of this day is simply to share poetry with others. Some people like poetry. Some people don't. To the latter, you just haven't found the right poem, or the right poet, yet. Be patient. There are plenty of poems in the poetry ocean. Today, my partner, son, and I are carrying around the following poems. Maybe you'll like one. Maybe you won't. Either way, I encourage you to go out and find your own pocket poem. Feel free to share it with a friend, coworker, or stranger. You can even post it here under the Comments section. Enjoy!
The following poems are from Poem in Your Pocket For Young Poets: 100 Poems to Rip Out & Read, which I purchased last year and will last the three of us about 33.33 years if we only use it on Poem in Your Pocket Day. We'll see.
Kevyn's Poem (He's a softball fanatic.)
Instruction by Conrad Hilberry
The coach has taught her how to swing,
run bases, slide, how to throw
to second, flip off her mask for fouls.
Now, on her own, she studies
how to knock the dirt out of her cleats,
hitch up her pants, miss her shoulder
with a stream of spit, bump
her fist into her catcher's mitt,
and stare incredulously at the ump.
Niko's Poem (He likes to play but is also very thoughtful.)
Lots to Play by Gary Snyder
Lots to play
in the way things work,
in the way things are.
History is made of mistakes.
yet - on the surface -
the world looks OK
lots to play.
My Poem (I usually have a very strong dislike for e. e. cummings - SORRY! - so I thought I should give him a chance today.)
maggie and milly and molly and may by e. e. cummings
maggie and milly and molly and may went down to the beach(to play one day) and maggie discovered a shell that sang so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and milly befriended a stranded star whose rays five languid fingers were; and molly was chased by a horrible thing which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and may came home with a smooth round stone as small as a world and as large as alone. For whatever we lose(like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea
Hmm, I did not know that you didn't like e.e. cummings. I actually do like him a lot. I was disinclined to like him at first, because I knew he did all those weird things with grammar, but once I started reading him, I thought he was actually quite talented. I especially like Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town. The rhythm in that poem is incredible, and unlike any other poem I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteI like all your poems! I also find it interesting that you say Poem in your Pocket Day is for sharing with others; I always thought it was for studying the poem yourself. Like you take it out and read it a hundred times throughout the day, getting to know it extremely personally.
Good point. I think the purpose is two-fold. On the poetry websites that I follow, they usually focus on sharing the poem with others, but sharing it with yourself is important, too! The things you learn and appreciate when you get to a know a poem - it's a form of comfort and revelation. Thank you for the cummings recommendation. I have read him before without much success, but I will give that one a try. :-)
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