Poetry Friday

Wednesday was my mom's birthday. One of my favorite poems is "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. It's one that many authors have riffed on recently, notably in Joyce Sidman's This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness and Sharon Creech's Hate That Cat.

So, here's my version, for my mom...

This is Just to Say

I know you really didn't ruin my life
When I was 10.
And 14.
And 18.
And all the times in between.
Even though I said you did.

It's just that you were trying so hard to teach me
Right from Wrong
And how to see the beauty in the world
And in myself.

Please forgive me,
But they are hard lessons to learn.
And I still need your help.



Round up is over at Picture Book of the Day.



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Poetry Friday

Well, I was quite excited to see that A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams won a Caldecott Honor on Monday.

His is poetry I had to read a lot of in school, and have returned to, time and again. This poem, "The Red Wheelbarrow" is one we snickered at as students (THIS IS POETRY?!) but has given me deeper and deeper meaning the more I read it and the older I get.


so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

Round up is over at Adventures in Daily Reading. Enjoy!

Of Plums and Kitchens

Yesterday was staff in-service day at work. The closing speaker was E. Ethelbert Miller, editor of Poet Lore. He read a fantastic poem by Tim Barnes, "Spoons, an Appreciation" but I can't find a copy of it to share with you.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the poetry and beauty of the everyday. So, I share this one with you today.

"This is Just to Say"

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the ice box

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

--William Carlos Williams

Emily Beeson at whimsy has the round up!