National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month. In celebration, I'm going to try and post some favorite poems throughout the month, but before I start, I have my own poetry news to celebrate. My poem, "Allison," is included in this month's issue of the Birmingham Arts Journal. Click on "latest edition" and navigate to page 15 of the journal. I would love to hear your comments.

On Thursday, I had appointments with my Delaney sales job in some of my northern counties. So after heading north, I meandered west, over to Birmingham, for the journal's launch party. It's always fun meeting new folks who love the same things you do. The reading was held in the Maralyn Wilson Gallery, a wonderfully eclectic little art gallery. I love reading aloud, and reading poetry aloud is such fun. Watching for people's resonses, listening for the hush that accompanies understanding, the satisfaction of the final word. It was a delightful evening.

A poem for today from one of my favorite poets, Theodore Roethke:

A Light Breather

The spirit moves,
Yet stays:
Stirs as a blossom stirs,
Still wet from its bud-sheath,
Slowly unfolding
Turning in the light with its tendrils;
Plays as a minnow plays,
Tethered to a limp weed, swinging,
Tail around, nosing in and out of the current,
Its shadows loose, a watery finger;
Moves, like the snail,
Still inward,
Taking and embracing its surroundings,
Never wishing itself away,
Unafraid of what it is,
A music in a hood,
A small thing,
Singing.