Thursday, February 20, 2014

Poetry Friday: I'm Hosting! And ... Richard Wilbur! It's a Grand Day In Every Way!




Richard Wilbur's poetry leaves me breathless, always, in one way or another, leaves me flying. And so how appropriate this poem is for today, and for always, and for every moment when I feel that I know how to do something I never knew how to do.

Flying
by Richard Wilbur

Treetops are not so high
Nor I so low
That I don't instinctively know
How it would be to fly

(Read the whole thing here, at The Writer's Almanac.)

~~~~~~~~~~

I'll be in and out quite a bit on Friday, so I'm posting this today. Please leave your links with my ever-reliable administrative assistant, Mr. Linky. For an unpaid intern, I find his work to be stellar, if occasionally cheeky. Just click on through and he'll handle the details. Feel free, too, to leave a comment, say hello, stop over for coffee (do you take cream?) or to drop off some chocolate. Or, if it's more your style, you can link-and-run. I'm okay with that, too.

I've already added an early bird, and I look forward to hearing from the rest of you!

33 comments:

Doraine said...

I love Wilbur, as well. I had not read this one, so thanks for sharing. Thanks for hosting today. I'm heading out of town in the morning, so grateful that I don't have to remember to do this in the morning, which probably wouldn't happen anyway. Thanks.

jama said...

What a great poem. Definitely needed a lift this week!

I'm feasting on color at Alphabet Soup with a poem by Christina Rossetti (link will go live at 6 a.m. EST).

Thanks for hosting, Karen (what, no sausages?) :D

Robyn Hood Black said...

Hi, Karen! Happy Poetry Friday and thanks for hosting. I'm coming up from boxes and bubble wrap to share our February Haiku Student Poet of the Month, Abby Shannon.
http://www.robynhoodblack.com/blog.htm?post=946568

Thanks for the Richard Wilbur poem - it makes us all soar.

Charles Ghigna said...

Thanks, Karen. "The Veiled Nun" is sad to hear they are closing the Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington, DC. Here's a little tribute to her and her venerable gallery @ BALD EGO blog

Diane Mayr said...

Thanks for hosting, Karen. I hope you're off doing something fun!

Linda B said...

It's a beautiful poem, Karen. How lovely to think that one could fly, or long ago 'almost adapted'! Thanks for hosting and for sharing the poem. Have a good day tomorrow!

Jone said...

A beautiful poem although flying is not something I long to do. Thank you.

Bridget Magee said...

Thanks for hosting Karen! And thank you for introducing me to Richard Wilbur's poetry. :o)

Today I have poem about My Dumb Phone.

http://weewordsforweeones.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-dumb-phone.html

Have a great day!

Fats Suela from Gathering Books said...

What a lovely poem! Thanks for sharing this, Karen, and thanks for hosting Poetry Friday! Your featured poem today reminded me of a quote from J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan:

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it."

I have Neruda at GatheringBooks today! Have a lovely weekend! =)

Author Amok said...

Hi, Karen. We all need a reminder from time to time that we can fly.

It's going to take a Soothing Sea of water too cool you off from today's spicy Orange Pepper poems. From me, Linda Baie ,and Diane Mayr. They are part of my month-long Pantone color Poetry Project.

http://authoramok.blogspot.com/2014/02/pantone-poetry-friday-2014-poetry.html

April Halprin Wayland said...

Thanks for hosting,Karen! What a lively, colorful flock we are this week--with Richard Wilbur flying into our scene ~

I'm sharing a Poem of Instruction today, elated that it's the introductory poem in Sylvia Vardell's book, Poetry Aloud Here—Sharing Poetry with Children 2(Second Edition)--a great resource!

Join the discussion at TeachingAuthors on finding your writer's voice, then try writing your own poem of instruction

http://www.teachingauthors.com/2014/02/sylvia-vardells-poetry-aloud-here-using.html
(This goes live 5:30 am)

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Thank you for sharing this poem today, Karen. My one little word for 2014 is "flying" and I was not aware of this poem! Thanks also for hosting. Happy Friday to you!

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

Thanks for hosting, Karen! Really enjoyed that poem - I was unfamiliar with his work! Mine is a short one today...and goes live just after midnight! http://wp.me/p2DEY3-TP

Catherine said...

Richard Wilbur is one of my favorite poets, but this poem is new to me. Thank you for sharing and for hosting!

Tabatha said...

Thank you for hosting, Karen! I have some chocolate chip cookies I can drop off. They go well with coffee. I do take cream, thanks.

Irene Latham said...

Hi Karen - thank you for hosting! Your blog names for your family make me smile. :) Thanks, too, for the Richard Wilbur! I tried to use Mr. Linky, but he's not being cooperative this morning... just loading and loading... poor guy. Here's my link to squirrel poetry: http://www.irenelatham.blogspot.com/2014/02/squirrel-poetry-flora-ulysses.html

Karen Edmisten said...

Irene, it looks like Mr. Linky finally took care of things for you. I'm sorry you had trouble -- I'll have a stern talk with him about his negligence.

Tabatha, thanks for the cookies -- cream is in the fridge.
Fats, love the Barrie quote.
Dian, one of the things I'll be doing today is a writing group with teens -- I love it.
Robyn, save me some bubble wrap, I love to pop it. Jama, there will be NO sausages today. :)
So happy to have introduced a new Wilbur poem to so many of you guys!

Amy LV said...

Thank you for hosting today, Karen, and for this poem. I am writing it into my notebook...a new one to me, and such a keeper. Today at The Poem Farm, I have a poem about trees...and a giveaway. Happy Poetry Friday!

Amy LV said...

ps - I linked twice by accident due to a typo...I am sorry. If it is possible to remove one link, thank you! Best, a.

Jeannine Atkins said...

Thank you for hosting, and this Richard Wilbur poem. He doesn't live so far from where I do in Mass, and used to often give readings I'm afraid I never made time for. Then it occurred to me, this gentleman is old. I am keeping my eyes peeled for readings, hoping I'm not too late.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for hosting! I posted a lovely piece by Helen Hoyt today -- Ellis Park.
http://slayground.livejournal.com/772324.html

Kerry Aradhya said...

Thanks for hosting, Karen. I really enjoyed this poem. Even read it a few times! Love how much I always learn about Poetry on Fridays :)

Ed DeCaria said...

I love that poem, especially the end: "My species never flew, but I somehow know it is something that long ago I almost adapted to." What an idea to have roll around in one's head ...

Unknown said...

Hi Karen,

This is my first time participating in Poetry Friday! I look forward to doing this again.

Karen Edmisten said...

Welcome, Divina! Ed, Wilbur always gives me wonderful things to roll around in my head.
Kerry, that's one of my favorite things about Poetry Friday, too, and Amy, I took care of the duplicate.

Oh, Jeannine, I'm extremely jealous. Wilbur is one of my all time favorite poets. Have adored him ever since I first read "The Writer."

For any of you who haven't read that poem, you must take a look: it's here.

jan godown annino said...

These windy days - such a mighty fine fit for the season. I went thru to The Writer Almanac & appreciated reading Richard Wilbur's entire poem.

Thinking of it now, this reminds me of a happy child time when I thought I could fly (down the school stairs. Didn't get hurt & I can still feel that idea that I could fly...)

Today's PF is my introduction to your site, which I hope to return to, Karen. Thank you for the easy linky dinky.
Bookseedstudio/ Jan

kortney said...

thanks so much for hosting, Karen! and for that second Wilber poem.

peace keep you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for hosting, and for your poetry choice today! I'm in with a far darker original poem at my blog.

Cathy said...

Karen,
Thanks for hosting. You talked about flying. My post is about hopping --- or waiting to hop.

Winter Statue an original poem about frogs in the winter: http://merelydaybyday.blogspot.com/2014/02/poetry-friday-winter-statue.html

Unknown said...

Posted last night; checking back to leave a comment...I left the poetic patterns added to the Spirals of Theodorus as a link. I will be sharing your blog with my sister Michelle...very inspirational.
Thanks for hosting!

Unknown said...

Posted last night; checking back to leave a comment...I left the poetic patterns added to the Spirals of Theodorus as a link. I will be sharing your blog with my sister Michelle...very inspirational.
Thanks for hosting!

Ruth said...

Beautiful poem! Thanks for hosting!

laurasalas said...

Thanks for hosting, Karen--lovely poem. I esp like the lifting of boughs in the second stanza!