Wednesday, January 7, 2009

My very favoritist poem in the whole wide world, ever.

I love reading poetry. The right poem can make my pulse race, my teeth hurt, and fill my stomach with hard little fists of joy. "Sonnet" by Elizabeth Bishop is the quintessential "right poem".

To really appreciate this poem, you MUST read it out loud, in your MOST expressive voice (promise me you'll do it!):



"SONNET"
by Elizabeth Bishop

I am in need of music that would flow
Over my fretful, feeling finger-tips,
Over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips,
With melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow.
Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low,
Of some song sung to rest the tired dead,
A song to fall like water on my head,
And over quivering limbs, dream flushed to glow!

There is a magic made by melody:
A spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool
Heart, that sinks through fading colors deep
To the subaqueous stillness of the sea,
And floats forever in a moon-green pool,
Held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep.

5 comments:

heidigoseek said...

i read it. out loud. with all i could muster:) i love that poem, too. i would only wish i was listening to you recite it, and not me!

Dave and Marie said...

Beautiful!!

My Three Sons said...

I read it aloud and .... I loved it! I actually have never heard it!

As for the pajamas, I got those on clearance after Christmas last year ('07) at The Children's Place for like $4.00 each! It's the best time to buy, in fact I'm planning on going out this weekend.

How funny that your Ezra got stilts,too, how fun! Chase loves them as well! Hopefully neither Jonah nor Chase will break their necks!

Can't wait to see your next post!

Teresa said...

The house is quiet, so I didn't dare read it out loud, so I mouthed it to myself with your voice in my head. It was beautiful! It made me think of that time we went to the opera together. I hope we can do that again someday.
Miss you!

allyn said...

i read it. in my head. it was a bit seductive, but it was lovely.
more please.