Happy National Library Week/National Poetry Month

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhoweaa/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Everything happens in April! This is National Library Week. I hope you will stop in and give your librarians some kind words. If you've been reading the news, you are aware that these are tough times for libraries, who continue to do more with less, and librarians, who do it more or less cheerfully.

Public and school libraries change lives by finding the right resources at the right time for citizens of all ages and socio-economic groups. Here's an example from one of my favorite poets, Naomi Shihab Nye:

Because of Libraries We Can Say These Things

She is holding the book close to her body,
carrying it home on the cracked sidewalk,
(continue here and scroll to the bottom and click "listen to reading" to hear Nye read the poem)

4/19/2007 http://specialcollections.lib.msu.edu/ Special Collections Michigan State University Libraries 100 Library East Lansing MI, 48823

Libraries, their human search engines (library staff), and their collections provide answers. The answers may take you where you want to go, or they make take you to unexpected places. See this poem by Jessy Randall:

Going to the Library

In the library there are pathways (click to read the rest of the poem)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Some of us get overwhelmed in libraries--so many books, so little time! William Stafford's "In the Library" captures this feeling:

You are reading a book, and think you know (click to read the rest of the poem)

What's your favorite thing about libraries?

Poetry Tag and Other Sites--National Poetry Month

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aehack/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

Today, I'd like to introduce you to some other bloggers who are celebrating National Poetry Month. Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children is playing Poetry Tag. Poet J. Patrick Lewis kicked it off on March 31. He tagged another poet, who tagged another poet, and so it goes. Take a look for a new poem every day!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Greg Pincus. at Gotta Book offers us Thirty Poets, Thirty Days. He has invited thirty prominent poets (no, poets aren't all dead white men!) to share new poems each day of this month.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Over at poet Lara Salas' blog, Writing the World for Kids, find a new poem for children every day this month by well-known children's poet.

Finally, create your own poems using Scholastic's Poetry Maker! Have fun!! Share your masterpieces--if you dare!

National Poetry Month--Easter Vigil

(photo by Simon Lo http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Candlelight_Vigil_for_June_4_Massacre_2007_-_002.JPG)


Easter Vigil, also called Holy Saturday, is a time of waiting. Jesus' disciples waited in fear and suspense. Jesus was crucified--would they be next? Jesus said he would return, but how could that be? The Psalmist foreshadowed this wait and encourages in his poetry:

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Read the entire Psalm here.

Boris Pasternak, best known for writing Dr. Zhivago, ends his poem "In Holy Week":

At midnight man and beast fall dumb
On hearing springtime's revelation:
Once weather clears, then just as soon
Can death itself be overcome
By the power of Resurrection.

Read the whole poem and others here.


(photo by Jeffrey Maxwell http://www.world66.com/southamerica/peru/lima/lib/gallery/showimage?pic=southamerica/peru/lima/in_line_waiting_fo)

We spend much of our lives waiting--waiting to be old enough to drive, to vote. Waiting to find the right mate, job, dwelling. Waiting for spring, vacation, supper. Or simply waiting in line at the store, the bank, the theater, the doctor's office.

The poem "I am Waiting" tells what Lawrence Ferlinghetti is waiting for.

What are you waiting for?

A Poet’s Place

What environment do you think is conducive to writing poetry? Do any of these come to mind?

A mountain cabin
Beautiful views
Walking paths
Birdsong
Deer and other wildlife
Tall pines and spruce
Wild flowers
Solitude
A fireplace
Books
Time for reflection

That list adds up to the home of South Dakota’s first Poet Laureate and cowboy poet, Badger Clark. Clark built his own cabin in the late 1920’s on property in the Black Hills, where he lived until his death in 1957. Now a tourist site in Custer State Park http://www.blogger.com/www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Custer/badger.htm, visitors can see Clark’s many pair of cowboy boots in a row in his bedroom, note what basic kitchen products he used, and imagine him in contemplation before the fire.

A short loop path offers stops with snippets of Clark’s poetry. Sunset, Collier’s, and Arizona Highways are just three of the many magazines that published Clark’s work. "A Cowboy's Prayer" is one of his best know poems, but is often published with "Anonymous" as the author. He dedicated the poem to his mother. The text is here: www.sd4history.com/Unit7/cowboyprayer.htm

His books have never gone out of print—rare for any author, but especially a poet. The Badger Clark Memorial Society www.badgerclark.org/ promotes his work and helps maintain the Badger Hole.

More information about Clark and his influence on cowboy and western poetry is available here: www.cowboypoetry.com/badger.htm .

I would add two things to the list of environmental needs for a poet: modern plumbing and electricity! Still, I appreciate Clark’s environment and the sentiment in his poem “Ridin’” (full text here: www.badgerclark.org/ridin'.htm) :

I don't need no art exhibits

When the sunset does her best,

Paintin' everlastin' glory

On the mountains to the west