© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.
September 30, 2012
September 28, 2012
Poetry Friday--100 Thousand Poets for Change
Tomorrow, September 29, there will be a worldwide poetry happening sponsored by 100 Thousand Poets for Change.
As of last weekend, there were events scheduled in 115 countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. If you check the event listings here, you may find one happening near you. In New Hampshire, there's something in Exeter, and over the border in Massachusetts there's a program at the Boston Public Library.
In the event that there's nothing in your area, you can sit in front of your computer or tablet and tune in to the livestream events that are listed here.
I'd like to think that 100 thousand poets could effect a major change in the world, yet, I'd be happy if they could just get a few people to stop and think about adding their voices to the call for change.
Here's a poem by Rita Dove that I think can help people be more aware of possibilities.
As of last weekend, there were events scheduled in 115 countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. If you check the event listings here, you may find one happening near you. In New Hampshire, there's something in Exeter, and over the border in Massachusetts there's a program at the Boston Public Library.
In the event that there's nothing in your area, you can sit in front of your computer or tablet and tune in to the livestream events that are listed here.
I'd like to think that 100 thousand poets could effect a major change in the world, yet, I'd be happy if they could just get a few people to stop and think about adding their voices to the call for change.
Here's a poem by Rita Dove that I think can help people be more aware of possibilities.
Dawn RevisitedThe Round-Up this week is being held at Paper Tigers.
Imagine you wake up
with a second chance: The blue jay
hawks his pretty wares
and the oak still stands, spreading
glorious shade. If you don't look back,
the future never happens.
How good to rise in sunlight,
in the prodigal smell of biscuits—
eggs and sausage on the grill.
The whole sky is yours
to write on, blown open
to a blank page. Come on,
shake a leg! You'll never know
who's down there, frying those eggs,
if you don't get up and see.
September 25, 2012
September 23, 2012
Happy Haiga Day!
© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Poem originally published here. Photo courtesy Library of Congress.
September 21, 2012
Poetry Friday--On the Day I Was Born
Happy Birthday to me! Tomorrow is my birthday, but I have so many obligations tomorrow, I thought I'd celebrate on Poetry Friday instead.
I had an idea that I would check newspapers for the day I was born and see if I could find a poem to share. I have a subscription to the online site, NewspaperArchive.com, so I did a search on "poem" and restricted it to September 22, 1949. (Yes, I'm that old!)
The first thing I noticed was the number of social events that were marked by the reading of a poem. The Newark Advocate (OH) reported that the Junior Women's Club met the previous Friday evening, and "Mrs. Harold Newkirk read an original poem 'September.'"
The Cullman Banner (AL), gave the complete details of the The Women's Society of Christian Service of the First Methodist Church's celebration of Kitty Holmes' 80th birthday,
Predictably there were a number of school activity reports that noted the inclusion of poetry, for example, the Tintonka Topic (IA) "School News" contained this item from the first grade: "We learned the poem The Swing because we have been having so much fun on the swings on our own playgrounds. We also drew pictures of the swing."
A syndicated puzzle, Daily Crossword, had as a clue for 30 DOWN, "Metrical division of a poem." There were 5 boxes to fill in.
The Kingsport News (TN) had a page [the] "Associated Press in Pictures" with a photo captioned, "GERMANY REMEMBERS LONGFELLOW Opening lines of Longfellow's poem, 'Bells of Geisenheim' are inscribed on this fountain dedicated to him in Geisenheim, Germany."
Actually, I found that the lines are part of Longfellow's lengthy dramatic poem, "The Golden Legend."
In my search I came across the text to two complete poems, one called "A Prayer," and the other, "Red Roses," but both were horribly sappy and I couldn't bear to include them! So, I will share Robert Louis Stevenson's little poem that delighted the first graders in Iowa, and, I believe, continues to delight children to this day!
I had an idea that I would check newspapers for the day I was born and see if I could find a poem to share. I have a subscription to the online site, NewspaperArchive.com, so I did a search on "poem" and restricted it to September 22, 1949. (Yes, I'm that old!)
The first thing I noticed was the number of social events that were marked by the reading of a poem. The Newark Advocate (OH) reported that the Junior Women's Club met the previous Friday evening, and "Mrs. Harold Newkirk read an original poem 'September.'"
The Cullman Banner (AL), gave the complete details of the The Women's Society of Christian Service of the First Methodist Church's celebration of Kitty Holmes' 80th birthday,
Mrs. J. G. Daves made a talk honoring Aunt Kitty, concluding with a poem, 'A Friend's Greeting' by Edgar A. Guest.Bob Wood, "chalk artist," on a tour sponsored by the Antrim Lyceum bureau, Philadelphia, entertained at the Littlestown Rotary club "when Ladies night was observed." Mr. Wood made "a sketch of Longfellow's 'Skeleton in Armor,' which poem he also recited and added colored lights," the Gettysburg Times (PA) related.
Mrs. Whitaker, in presenting a corsage, read a clever, original poem.
Predictably there were a number of school activity reports that noted the inclusion of poetry, for example, the Tintonka Topic (IA) "School News" contained this item from the first grade: "We learned the poem The Swing because we have been having so much fun on the swings on our own playgrounds. We also drew pictures of the swing."
A syndicated puzzle, Daily Crossword, had as a clue for 30 DOWN, "Metrical division of a poem." There were 5 boxes to fill in.
The Kingsport News (TN) had a page [the] "Associated Press in Pictures" with a photo captioned, "GERMANY REMEMBERS LONGFELLOW Opening lines of Longfellow's poem, 'Bells of Geisenheim' are inscribed on this fountain dedicated to him in Geisenheim, Germany."
Actually, I found that the lines are part of Longfellow's lengthy dramatic poem, "The Golden Legend."
In my search I came across the text to two complete poems, one called "A Prayer," and the other, "Red Roses," but both were horribly sappy and I couldn't bear to include them! So, I will share Robert Louis Stevenson's little poem that delighted the first graders in Iowa, and, I believe, continues to delight children to this day!
Today, the Poetry Friday Round-Up is being hosted by Renee at No Water River.
The Swing
How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!
Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
River and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside--
Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown--
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!
September 18, 2012
September 16, 2012
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