http://cnyarts.org/view/7505/dwc-visiting-author-readings-poet-john-hoppenthaler
Friday, April 15th from 7- 9 pm at the downtown YMCA
Reading by poet John Hoppenthaler. Check the link for more info!
Syracuse Poetry event John Hoppenthaler!
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Meeting at Night
The gray sea and the long black land;
And the yellow half-moon large and low:
And the startled little waves that leap
In fiery ringlets from their sleep,
As I gain the cove with pushing prow,
And quench its speed i’ the slushy sand.
The a mile of warm sea-scented beach;
Three fields to cross till a farm appears;
A tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch
And blue spurt of a lighted match,
And a voice less loud, through joys and fears,
Than the two hears beating each to each!
~ Robert Browning
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At a Dinner Party
At a Dinner Party
With fruit and flowers the board is decked,
The wine and laughter flow;
I’ll not complain — could one expect
So dull a world to know?
You look across the fruit and flowers,
My glance your glances find. —
It is our secret, only ours,
Since all the world is blind.
~ Amy Levy
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Provisions
Provisions
What should we have taken
with us? We never could decide
on that; or what to wear,
or at what time of
year we should make the journey
So here we are in thin
raincoats and rubber boots
On the disastrous ice, the wind rising
Nothing in our pockets
But a pencil stub, two oranges
Four Toronto streetcar tickets
and an elastic band holding a bundle
of small white filing cards
printed with important facts.
~ Margaret Atwood
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I Wish in the City of Your Heart
I Wish in the City of Your Heart
I wish in the city of your heart
you would let me be the street
where you walk when you are most
yourself. I imagine the houses:
It has been raining, but the rain
is done and children kept home
have begun opening their doors.
~ Robley Wilson
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Bill Murray, Oprah & Oatmeal. Oh and a poetry bash?
Welcome to the Friday bonus! Check out this article on Bill Murray, I may actually have to pick up the magazine to read the rest!
https://www.thereadingroom.
Enjoy listening to one of Bill Murray’s favorites here:
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/oatmeal-audio-only
And for those of you in the Syracuse area there is a Poetry Bash, Saturday April 9th (yup, tomorrow!) at 2:30 at Petit Branch Library, 105 Victoria Place, Syracuse NY 13210 (315) 435-3636. An open mic poetry event that invites everyone to enjoy, I believe they have goodies and enthusiasm galore. Celebrate poetry like never before! Confetti, silly string and noise makers provided!
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Darling Coffee
The periodic pleasure
of small happenings
is upon us –
at the farmer’s market
snow glinting in heaps,
a cardinal its chest
puffed out, bloodshod
above the piles of awnings,
passion’s proclivities;
you picking up a sweet potato
turning to me ‘This too?’ –
query of tenderness
under the blown red wing.
Remember the brazen world?
Let’s find a room
with a window onto elms
strung with sunlight,
a cafe with polished cups,
darling coffee they call it,
may our bed be stoked
with fresh cut rosemary
and glinting thyme,
all herbs in due season
tucked under wild sheets:
fit for the conjugation of joy.
~ Meena Alexander
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You See I Want a Lot
You See I Want a Lot
You see, I want a lot.
Perhaps I want everything:
the darkness that comes with every infinite fall
and the shivering blaze of every step up.
So many live on and want nothing,
and are raised to the rank of prince
by the slippery ease of their light judgments.
But what you love to see are faces
that do work and feel thirst.
You love most of all those who need you
as they need a crowbar or a hoe.
You have not grown old, and it is not too late
to dive into your increasing depths
where life calmly gives out its own secret.
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
(translated by Robert Bly)
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Let’s Go Home
Let's Go Home
Late and starting to rain, it’s time to go home.
We’ve wandered long enough in empty buildings.
I know it’s tempting to stay and meet those new people.
I know it’s even more sensible
to spend the night here with them,
but I want to go home.
We’ve seen enough beautiful places with signs on them
saying This is God’s house.
That’s seeing the grain like the ants do,
without the work of harvesting.
Let’s leave grazing to cows and go
where we know what everyone really intends,
where we can walk around without clothes on.
~ Rumi
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Red Brocade
Red Brocade
The Arabs used to say,
When a stranger appears at your door,
feed him for three days
before asking who he is,
where he’s come from,
where he’s headed.
That way, he’ll have strength
enough to answer.
Or, by then you’ll be
such good friends
you don’t care.
Let’s go back to that.
Rice? Pine nuts?
Here, take the red brocade pillow.
My child will serve water
to your horse.
No, I was not busy when you came!
I was not preparing to be busy.
That’s the armor everyone put on
to pretend they had a purpose
in the world.
I refuse to be claimed.
Your plate is waiting.
We will snip fresh mint
into your tea.
~Naomi Shihab Nye
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