5/16, Friday evening.
The main event of this year's Seattle Reads is Ada Limon herself.
I forgot to bring the book for her to sign.
As the 24th Poet Laureate of The United States, her signature project is called “You Are Here” and focuses on how poetry can help connect us to the natural world.
This book of poetry from 50 poets collected by Limon is this year's choice for Seattle Reads.
She talked about how the project came about, and in general.
She seems quite approachable and candid.
She read one poem about rain, which I really liked, but I forgot who's the author.
Updates, now that I read this poetry collection. I have hard time wrestling with the idea of poem. None rhymes. Some with odd formats. Many with begining of the next sentence at the end of current line. I don't call a poem if it doesn't rhyme. Every one in the book paints a good scene, some times vivid, which is good. At least this one is cute.
EAT
Joy Harjo
Grasshoppers devoured the sunflowers
Petal by petal to raggey yellow flags --
Squash blossom of small suns blessed
By dew drops flared beauty in the morning
Until an army of squash bugs landed
And ate, then dragged their bellies
From the carnage --
Field mice chewed their way
Into the house. They eat anthing
Sweet and leave their pebbled shit
In staggered lines to the closet door --
Hungry tree frogs clung to the screen
Their curled tongues catch anything
With wings driven to the light --
We found a snake hidden on the porch,
There were rumors in the yard
Of fat mice frolicking here.
The night is swallowing
Daylight.
We sit down to eat.
Joy Harjo
Grasshoppers devoured the sunflowers
Petal by petal to raggey yellow flags --
Squash blossom of small suns blessed
By dew drops flared beauty in the morning
Until an army of squash bugs landed
And ate, then dragged their bellies
From the carnage --
Field mice chewed their way
Into the house. They eat anthing
Sweet and leave their pebbled shit
In staggered lines to the closet door --
Hungry tree frogs clung to the screen
Their curled tongues catch anything
With wings driven to the light --
We found a snake hidden on the porch,
There were rumors in the yard
Of fat mice frolicking here.
The night is swallowing
Daylight.
We sit down to eat.