Why is April the cruellest month?

Introduction to Poetry

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.


Billy Collins
The Apple that Astonished Paris



Poetry Daily has a special feature to celebrate National Poetry Month....
http://poems.com/news.htm

As does the Academy of American Poets....
http://www.poets.org/

Scholastic website for all ages...
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/k_2theme/poetry.htm

Jane Smiley has an article in Guardian UK about her battle with writer's block and what she did to overcome the affliction by reading a hundred novels (is it 'a' or 'one' or both that modifies a hundred?) . It heralds a new column starting next week. Although I did not like the film version of her take on Lear (did not read book so I can't say if they butchered it or she did) . I thought Moo was funny but can't remember if I finished it. Too many books and and an ever dwindling supply of brain cells. Here is the link.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1737939,00.html


Saving the best for last. Head on over to the Pho King Westling's site to see the newest addition... Congratulations to the parents and big brother and welcome to the world Claire.