By Caroline Clemmons
April is
National Poetry Month. If someone asked me if I enjoyed poetry, I’d probably
say no. Thinking about that, though, I
realize poetry is important to me. One of my first books was A Childs’s Garden of Verses by Robert
Louis Stevenson. I loved that book and still have it packed away
somewhere. At the time I was read the book and then learned to read it myself,
I had no idea it was a classic or who the author was. Imagine my surprise when
reading to my own children.
When I was
about twelve, a neighbor gave me a book which included poems by Emily Dickinson.
In my pre-teen angst, I read those frequently. I‘ve found many other poets
since then. The tragic life of Elizabeth Barret Browning spoke to me, too. Yet,
there are so many more cheerful poems.
Who can think of spring without “a cloud of daffodils” coming to mind? William Wordsworth gave us a lovely, thought-provoking poem. Thinking about our good and bad choices, I am reminded of Robert Frost’s snowy woods and the road not taken. A favorite of my children was Silverstein’s Where The Sidewalk Ends. I love it, as well. It has humor to make us think.
I enjoy
reading Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series. Inspector Gamache frequently
quotes lines from the character Ruth Zardo’s poetry. Not too much, just a line
or two to make a point. (I love this series!)
Ada Limon is the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States. The Library of Congress makes the choice. She is the first Latina to hold this post. Ms Limon is from Sonoma, California, and now divides her time between Sonoma and Lexington, Kentucky. Her publications include Lucky Wreck and This Big Fake World. In addition to being Poet Laureate, she has received numerous awards and grants. She teaches as well as writing.
