Poem in Your Pocket

April 30, 2009

Today is Poem in Your Pocket Day. A strange little holiday, but a good one. Having children has been wonderful in many ways, but one I hadn't quite anticipated was the way they would bring me back to the world of poetry. In this past year, we have entered a new stage of reading and listening. Shel Silverstein has become a big favorite. Rhymes, tongue twisters, and homemade poems are now a part of car trips and silly moments. A joyful return to a world of endless possibilities: those little nuggets of words and images that can quickly transport us to another place.

We have recently discovered a fabulous children's book poetry A Foot in the Mouth. Bold, colorful illustrations accompany a lively collection of poems that are meant to be read aloud. Highly recommend it for adults and kids (although some poems may not be appropriate for all ages...read before sharing all with your kids). I especially loved the opening poem. Consider this my pocket poem for today:


The Poems I Like Best
Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

The poems I like best
wear classic black
with vintage accessories
and smell like a new book,
the spine just cracked.

The chitchat overheard on a city bus
or nonsense
volleyed between toddlers on swings at the park.

My favorite poems
squeeze your hand
on a crowded street and say:
Look.

The poems I like best
wear blue jeans
and smell
like the tack room of a barn:
worn leather and horse.

The varied verses
of a mockingbird's tune
or syllables between brothers scratching scruffy chins
under the hood of a truck.

My favorite poems
hold a wooden spoon of words
and whisper:
Taste.
morninglight mama said...

My fave guy is Douglas Florian-- he's got some fantastic picture books of poems. Thanks for sharing a poem today!

Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish said...

Dawn,
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to check him out. I think half of items on my library request list come from you!

Vanessa/NessieNoodle said...

oh! I love this poem. thank you so much for sharing it today.

and even though our little guy is itty bitty i total repeat poems I remember from being little:

Alligator pie, alligator pie, if I dont get some I think I'm gonna die.
Sara Cynthia Sylvia Stout, would not take the garbage out...

makes me smile every time.

Dawn Suzette said...

...wear blue jeans
and smell
like the tack room of a barn:
worn leather and horse.

This transported me to such a happy place!
Thanks for sharing your pocket poem today!

Mom2Isabel said...

...nonsense volleyed between toddlers on swings at the park.

I just LOVE that line. Brings a smile to my face.

Dana said...

This poem is just lovely. . .I'm tucking it away for future reference.
Thanks for sharing your poem in your pocket.
Dana

lisa said...

Love the picture with her little hand. I know the days of little starfish hands and sticky fingers will be over too quick. :)

ConverseMomma said...

Oh! This poem was awesome. I want my children to be poets, so I sing them songs, and we dance sockless in the slant of light on a Sunday afteroon. I ask them serious and sure if they believe in magic, and then I show them how to conjure it with words and actions.

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