Poem in Your Pocket

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.