Many of you may already know that the poet and anthologist
Paul B. Janeczko passed away earlier this week. He was a friend and an
inspiration to me. I have dozens of his books. I have selected a poem to post
in his honor today. It's from his book The Place My Words Are Looking For--which
is one of my favorite poetry books.
Paul Zimmer wrote Yellow Sonnet after the death if his
beloved mother. He said that writing the poem gave him an opportunity "to
present a loving tribute" to his mother. I'm presenting the poem as a
loving tribute to Paul Janeczko--who introduced me to many of America's finest
children's, young adult, and adult poets.
YELLOW SONNET
By Paul Zimmer
Zimmer no longer wishes to write
About the dimming of his lights,
Recounting all his small terrors.
Instead he tells of brilliance,
Walking home from first grade
In springtime, light descending
To hold itself and dazzle him
In an outburst of dandelions...
About the dimming of his lights,
Recounting all his small terrors.
Instead he tells of brilliance,
Walking home from first grade
In springtime, light descending
To hold itself and dazzle him
In an outburst of dandelions...
Click here to read the rest of the poem and Paul Zimmer's
explanation for why he wrote this lovely poem as a "love gift" to his
mother. He tells readers that he felt "dismal" after her passing and
wrote some sad poems. He said that he had many "warm and bright memories
of her"--and "wanted to make a warm and bright poem in her memory."
********************
Robyn has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Life on the Deckle
Edge.
.JPG)
