Pastor Horn, who, sadly, does not have a blog, posted about his favorite poem on Facebook today. That got me thinking about poetry and wondering where all of my poetry books are. I haven't had a chance to look yet, but I'm betting they're in my kids' rooms. That is not a bad thing.
What I did go looking for were my poems. I found part of them. They are dark! I'd forgotten how miserable I was most of the time in high school and my first years of college. Wow.
I have known lots of people who don't like poetry. I once thought that I didn't. I blame that on school, on English classes that have students ripping apart poems looking for meter or hidden meanings, instead of just reading them for appreciation first. (They do the same with Shakespeare, but that's another post.) I started reading poems to my kids right from the start. Mingled among the adorable rhyming board books, Mother Goose, Dr. Seuss, and Goodnight Moon, were A Child's Garden of Verses, The Tiger, Jabberwocky, and e.e. cummings.
Pastor Petersen has posted a wonderful poem he saw today at Writer's Almanac. Go read.
3 comments:
Here Here Jane!
I discovered poetry very young before teachers showed us how unfun it was. I fell in love with Shakespeare in high school because I refused to let my eye wander to the bottom of the page for ANY footnote! It is quite understandable and beautiful if you listen to the flow and sound of the language as you read.
Beware the Jubjub bird and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!
P.S. You linked to a wonderful poem full of so much truth it itself brings a tear. Thank you
Jane ~
It was so wonderful to meet you in person last week at the Indianapolis Childrens Museum! I'm quite sure I would have talked your ear off given the time.
Thank you for your blog, for sharing your unschooling days and thus giving me much encouragement.
Kristin Ehmen
(momma to three ages 13-7)
Post a Comment