Here is another topic that I am well out of my league.
"Poetry affords us a respite
in which we may gather renewed strength for the old struggle
to adapt ourselves to reality."
Start Quote
One of the gems I unearthed in a choice secondhand-book haunt
was the October 1925 issue of Good Housekeeping.
In it was a novel remedy for weariness called
"The Poetry Cure."
It suggested that when we are frazzled,
ruminating on a line or a stanza of poetry
can induce a sense of serenity.
This suggestion led me to a marvelous form of meditation...
Many of us resist the power of poetry
to illuminate our path because we have such bad memories
of dissecting stanzas in high school English.
Some of us also have an inferiority complex about poetry,
viewing it as a mantric aft that only the well-educated,
literate, and erudite can appreciate.
But poets are the first to disagree;
they know poetry is real and personal.
Rita Dove...says that
"Poetry connects you to yourself,
to the self that doesn't know how to talk or negotiate."
When we allow poetry to slip slowly
beneath the sinews of our conscious mind,
connection to our authentic selves becomes simpler;
an emotion or an experience is captured
in evocative word melodies
that bestow harmony on everyday encounters.
Rita Dove believes that poetry has the ability
to restore "a sense of mystery, a sense of wonder"
to our daily round...
To begin exploring this simply abundant art,
bring home a book of poetry from the library this week.
Listening to the varied voices of women poets -
Rita Dove, Anne Sexton, Louise Bogan, Diane Wakoski, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, Muriel Rukeyser, Judith Viorst, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Maxine Kumin, Diane Ackerman, Shirley Kauffman, May Sarton, Cherrie Moraga, Marianne Moore
- can help you find your own [voice]...
End Quote
Here is where I think I might disagree with Sarah.
Not that poetry isn't important, or helpful,
but I tried to get through a few of Anne Sexton's poems
and I thought they were awful.
I definitely want to broaden my reading material to include poetry,
and to even learn to love it.
But I don't think it will ever be my favorite medium.
Maybe because I've yet to come across a poem
that has enriched my life and gave peace to my soul.
How about you?
Please enlighten me, who are your favorite poets?
***
Gratitude Journal
***
1) Jane Austen. And BBC and their amazing interpretation of Pride and Prejudice. It makes doing a basket of ironing so much more bearable.
2) Kid dentists. Jacob and Chase did a fantastic job, the ladies who cleaned their teeth were funny and so good with kids, and were so kind when Riley threw a full on fit. And they were so excited to get bouncy balls, and balloons, and stickers, and toothbrushes etc etc.
3) No cavities!!!
4) Self care. Today I felt the wave of depression, and it sucked, because there was so much to do. But after like 4 hours of self care this evening, I'm feeling better. Kind of crazy.
5) We absolutely rocked the second day of school. I'm loving this.
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