Poetry Out Loud

The winner of the "Poetry Out Loud" recitation contest for high school students reading "Frederick Douglass" by Robert E. Hayden.

Last Day of Poetry Month

Dear Friends
by EA Robinson

Dear friends, reproach me not for what I do,
Nor counsel me, nor pity me; nor say
That I am wearing half my life away
For bubble-work that only fools pursue.

And if my bubbles be too small for you,
Blow bigger then your own: the games we play
To fill the frittered minutes of a day,
Good glasses are to read the spirit through.

And whose reads may get him some shrewd skill;
And some unprofitable scorn resign,
To praise the very thing that he deplores;
So, friends (dear friends), remember, if you will,
The shame I win for singing is all mine,
The gold I miss for dreaming is all yours.

Grooks

SIMPLY ASSISTING GOD
I am a humble artist
moulding my earthly clod,
adding my labour to nature's,
simply assisting God.

Not that my effort is needed;
yet somehow, I understand,
my maker has willed it that I too should have
unmoulded clay in my hand.


THE ROAD TO WISDOM

The road to wisdom? — Well, it's plain
and simple to express:
Err
and err
and err again
but less
and less
and less.

both by Piet Hein

Poem-a-Day

Poetic Asides on The Writer website is offering prompts for a poem a day during National Poetry Month.

Give it a try! I think I will.

Firsts
there is no greater fear
than that first step
out into the oblivion of chance
possibility, opportunity

there is no greater act of courage
than that first step
out of the known
uncertain, excited

there is no greater joy
than that first step
out of the mundane
into beauty
into love
into your arms