I am still without power (that's SIX days now!), but consider me your postal carrier of poetry. There is nothing, not even an electrical shortage, that will keep me from delivering "the best words in their best order" to you. (Thank you Samuel Coleridge.)
Italian Music in Dakota
by Walt Whitman
Through the soft evening air enwrinding all,
Rocks, woods, fort, cannon, pacing sentries, endless wilds,
In dulcet streams, in flutes’ and cornets’ notes,
Electric, pensive, turbulent artificial,
(Yet strangely fitting even here, meanings unknown before,
Subtler than ever, more harmony, as if born here, related here,
Not to the city’s fresco’d rooms, not to the audience of the opera house,
Sounds, echoes, wandering strains, as really here at home,
Sonnambula’s innocent love, trios with Norma’s anguish,
And thy ecstatic chorus Poliuto;)
Ray’d in the limpid yellow slanting sundown,
Music, Italian music in Dakota.
While Nature, sovereign of this gnarl’d realm,
Lurking in hidden barbaric grim recesses,
Acknowledging rapport however far remov’d,
(As some old root or soil of earth its last-born flower or fruit,)
Listens well pleas’d.
I'll be stealing time throughout the day in establishments around the city that DO have power. So, leave me a note about your contribution and I'll add it to this post. Happy poetry Friday all!
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Good morning poetry lovers! This is your intrepid host, checking in from my local Starbucks. I've used my free birthday drink coupon, am sipping an iced chai, eating a whole-grain bagel, and loving your choices this sunny morning. So, without further ado, here's what the early bird dug up.
Robyn Hood Black is attending another Founder's Workshop (lucky girl!) and is signing in from Honesdale, PA. Today she is sharing a
poem by Paul Fleischman in honor of his birthday.
Amy LV of
The Poem Farm is sharing an original poem entitled
My Blanket Smells.
Steven Withrow of
Crackles of Speech shares an original poem inspired by Irene entitled
Storm's Alarm.
Over at
The Write Sisters, Barbara is sharing a bit of Roald Dahl in the form of
Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.
Melissa of
through the wardrobe shares an excerpt from an original work entitled
Zoo.
Mary Lee of
A Year of Reading shares an
ode to the first weeks of school. Is that James Taylor? I do believe it is. Oh, what a fitting choice.
Maria Horvath is in a romantic mood and sharing the poem/lyrics
If I Were a Carpenter.
Charlotte of
Charlotte's Library is sharing a review of a book of graphic novel style nursery rhymes entitled
Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists.
Heidi Mordhorst of
my juicy little universe is sharing fishy reflections on her first week of school and the poem
Fish by Mary Ann Hoberman.
Diane Mayr of
Random Noodling is sharing a poem by Hal Sirowitz entitled
The Benefits of Ignorance.
Diane Mayr shares original poetry at
Kids of the Homefront Army. Today's entry is entitled
Model Airplanes.
Finally, over at
Kurious Kitty and
Kurious K's Kwotes, Diane is sharing Wislawa Szymborska.
Jama Rattigan is sharing
three poems and spreads from Marilyn Singer's new book, A Full Moon is Rising. Coincidentally, I brought this one home yesterday to read by flashlight in bed (no lie)!
Tara of
A Teaching Life is sharing the poem she using to launch her poetry study,
Where I'm From by George Ella Lyon.
Sally of
Paper Tigers is sharing a brief review of the book
Something Nice by Misuzu Kaneko.
Tabatha Yeatts of
The Opposite of Indifference is sharing the poem
Firefighter's Prayer by David Cochrane.
Jennie of
Biblio File is sharing the
poem by Naomi Shihab Nye that opens the book
Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration by Ann Bauseum.
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Welcome back folks! It's a bit after 7:00 pm and I'm coming to you thanks to the University's internet connection. Hey, it may be work, but my office has air conditioning! And now, on with the poetry parade.
Jone of
Check It Out is sharing an original list poem on
Summer 2011.
Violet Nesdoly is sharing an original poem entitled
Seasonal Junction.
Karen Edmisten is sharing the poem
Short Order Cook by Jim Daniels.
Karissa Knox of
The Iris Chronicles is sharing a
ghazal by Agha Shahid Ali.
Ruth of
There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town is sharing the lyrics from the Sara Groves song
Fireflies and Songs.
The poetry stretch this week challenged folks to write about the forces of nature. Boy, did they deliver! You'll find some terrific pieces by Jane Yolen, J. Patrick Lewis, Kate Coombs, Steven Withrow, Diane Mayr, Amy LV, and Carol Weis at
Monday Poetry Stretch - Natural Forces.
I'll check back in first thing on Saturday to round up any late posts. Enjoy your weekend. I hope it's filled with poetry!
