The Book Pirate

While browsing the book section at one of my local thrift stores, I am across a book entitled Today is Here by Don Blanding, the poet laureate of Hawaii. The cover depicts rays of sunlight bursting through the clouds. It seemed motivational and uplift. Plus, the book was really old. It was published in 1946. When I opened the book I discovered that it was poetry. Ever since then, Don Blanding has become a poet that I have had a soft spot for. So, to finish off my week long celebration of National Poetry Month I would like to share two of my favorite poems from Blanding.

Today Is Here
by Don Blanding
Today is here. That dawn clangs golden gongs
Awakening the world. Today is here!
The throats of birds are spilling joyous songs.
Sing, Heart. Sing words of hope. Sing strong and clear.

Did men of Yesterday die all in vain?
They bought Today with blood. That price was dear.
We dare not waste their sacrifice of pain.
They plead, “Awake and live. Today is here!”

Plea Of The Book
by Don Blanding
I’m alive when I’m being read.
When I’m on the shelf I’m the same as dead.
Since I love living as well as you,
Please, pass me along when you’ve read me through.

Blurb for the back cover:
“The shear amount of poetry contained in this book is daunting and you can’t help but love some poems but hate other”

What would my week long celebration of National Poetry Month be without a review of some poetry?

Tin House was nice enough to send me a review copy of their poetry anthology Satellite Convulsions a few months ago, and in my spare time I have been slowly reading it. Poetry for me is a hard thing to just sit down and read. I find it easier to enjoy in short little burst like when eating breakfast before work or waiting for a class to start. Unlike a novel, if I sit for a long period of time trying to read poem after poem, my brain will shut off and I will be reading the words but not processing them. I’ll zone out, if you will.

Satellite Convulsions is a collection of over one hundred different poets (106 total) and spans 235 pages. That’s right folks, 235 pages of pure, unadulterated poetry. It would be impossible to me to personally share my thoughts on every single poem. Ok, not impossible, but I don’t have that much spare time on my hands. Since I believe poetry is subjective, naturally my enjoyment of the poems contained in this book ranged from really enjoying it to couldn’t wait for the poem to be over. Because of this, the book works. The shear amount of poetry contained in this book is daunting and you can’t help but love some poems but hate other. I would recommend this book for the poetry enthusiast or someone who is wanting to expand their poetry horizon and discover new poets.

20 in 2009 Challenge: 5/20

I am not a fan of William Carlos Williams. He is the bane of my poetry existence. When I was in high school I wrote a paper arguing that he was a bad poet (I got a B on that paper). There are other people who think he is a rather talented chap. That is not me. So for now, I would like to take this moment during National Poetry month to share with you two poems that I loath.

The Red Wheelbarrow
by William Carlos Williams
so much depends
upon

beside the white
chickens.

This Is Just To Say
by William Carlos Williams
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

What poets do you loath?

Edit: Also, what an inconsiderate jerk Williams was for each that poor guy’s plums!