Bronx Beat

I have developed a deep and abiding love of poetry over the course of the last few weeks.

It is completely separate from the MASSIVE GIRL CRUSH I have on Amy Poehler. I feel like we have a chance. (Amy? Call me.)



Look, when I was in high school I was required to read poetry.

UGH.

I remember tattered anthologies and droning voices as we parsed our way through SIGNIFICANT WORKS by IMPORTANT POETS of this century.

I spent most of that class trying to get Tim Horn to look my way with well placed hair tosses and dropped pencils. (to no avail, in case you were wondering) I certainly didn't spend that time HEARING the poetry to which I was listening.

Wasted time. Wasted thought. Day after day in which we tore apart each line looking for hidden meanings and greater value when really the poet might have JUST MEANT WHAT HE WROTE.

But recently I had the chance to be exposed to poetry. I HEARD someone reading it and it was beautiful. Musical. Magical. Inspiring. The lilt of the voice, the pauses, the tone.

There was something IN THERE and I was finally finding it.

I went to the library and checked out no fewer than seven books - some by specific authors, some anthologies - and sat on my bed for hours trying to absorb them.

And I stopped trying to GET IT. Instead I just accepted that the poet wrote words, bursts of words, broken lines of prose, and he didn't expect me to GET IT. Just to hear it, feel it, soak it into my every pore and love it.

I have a few favorites. I enjoy the poems of Billy Collins (Marginalia is so great, as are others), Sylvia Plath (it's not as depressing as people want you to think), and then, even though I was afraid of him, ee cummings.

In fact, the name of my blog comes from a poem of his that I absolutely LOVE. It means nothing and everything to me.

Read it for yourself:

may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she

 (may i touch said he

how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she

(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)

 may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she

may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she

 but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she

(tiptop said he
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she

(cccome?said he
ummm said she)
you're divine! said he
(you are Mine said she)