On the benefits of poems in pockets

[delphipsmith]

April is National Poetry Month, and April 26th is National Put a Poem in your Pocket Day!! Did you observe it, by carrying a poem in your pocket? I did. My three favorite poets are e e cummings, Shel Silverstein, and John Donne (because of Lord Peter Wimsey, of course), but the poem I carried today wasn't by any of them. Instead it was a a favorite from my childhood, and excellent in a sort of meta way, since it's a poem about having a poem in your pocket :)

Keep a poem in your pocket
And a picture in your head
And you’ll never feel lonely
At night when you’re in bed.

The little poem will sing to you
The little picture bring to you
A dozen dreams to dance to you
At night when you’re in bed.

So --
Keep a picture in your pocket
And a poem in your head
And you’ll never feel lonely
At night when you’re in bed!
-- Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

Comments

[queerlyobscure.livejournal.com]

I am a great fan of Donne (owing to a very attractive lit teacher who also was, I am very nearly ashamed to admit). I love your choice of poem to carry with you, though - very appropriate :D

[delphipsmith]

Thanks - the same book has another hilarious poem about trying to carry a whole range of things in your pocket: mashed potatoes, ice cream... All things considered, I'll take the poem -- so much more tidy ;)

[paranoidpen.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of this. Sounds interesting.

[delphipsmith]

If nothing else, it gets you to looking at poems in a different way ("Would I carry that around in my pocket??").

[paranoidpen.livejournal.com]

That's a really good point.