The Orange
by Wendy Cope
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave –
They got quarters and I had a half.
And that orange, it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
....
(Read the last few lines and/or hear the poem read aloud here.)
Wendy Cope talks (only a wee bit) about the origins of the poem here.
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| and now I want the pin. |
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19 comments:
What a fabulous reminder to cherish the ordinary moments and the people in our lives...while we have them here.
Oh what a delightful poem🧡 (oranges are one of the few foods I can safely eat)
Cheers to that, Mary Lee!
elli, I’m delighted to share an orange with you today!
She's written all there is to say about life, hasn't she, Karen? Would that every one could learn that an orange is the world! Thank you!
Such a great worldview!! xo
One of my younger daughter's favorites! I shared it for Poetry in the Halls at her middle school. It really resonates. xo
I've always liked this poem, I really enjoyed hearing the reading, and seeing the street scene, which reminds me of Chicago, and also the wee bit of backstory, thanks Karen!
Thank you for the inspiration, Karen! I bought an orange yesterday for a marinade and the aroma brought back childhood memories. Wendy Cope's poem inspired me to write one of my own.
* Linda B. yes, if only!
* Irene, yes, so grounding!
* Tabatha, it’s a favorite of my youngest daughter's too. :)
* Michelle, the reading was lovely, wasn’t it?
* Rose, I’m so glad it spurred you to write your own about those memories!
Linda B's "Would that every one could learn that an orange is the world!" says it all. Thank you for this poem, Karen - a real gift to us all!
I enjoyed the video. It makes me want to record a poem. It is wonderous how the simple things like an orange can have such a story to tell if we just listen :)
Wendy Cope is a favourite of mine, Karen. Her voluminous anthology Collected Poems' is staring at me from the shlef as I write my reply. Cope's ability to celebrate the mundane coupled with her wry humour is a winner for me. Thanks for sharing The Orange.
Thanks for the link to the video. It was beautifully made and showed how an ordinary day can be such a blessing of peace.
I know this poem from when it was newish and I was young in London, but reading it again, discovering the Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation (!) and reconsidering it from the vantage point of age, is a wonder. Thanks!
Karen,thank you for this poem. It is simple, based on the ordinary in life and then the love part. The video offers a calming visual with memories that I will cherish in this moment.
The orange poem reminds me of my grandma, who lived to 91 and had an orange and one slice of cheese as her bedtime snack. Thanks for sharing such an everyday moment that made a wonderful poem!
Isn't it wonderful to read a poem that is as simple as being in love with being alive. What a breath of fresh air.
* Robyn, yes, Linda B. summed it up perfectly.
*Cathy, I'll be there to listen when you record one for us!
* Alan, I don't own any of her collections but I think I need to remedy that.
* Margaret, yes to peace.
* Heidi, the older I get, the more I realize everything hits differently these days.
* Carol V., I hope the moment stayed with you a while.
* Carol L., what a sweet memory of your grandma!
Linda M., yes, this poem feels like eating the perfect orange, possibly after a storm.
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