Friday, May 24, 2019

FACING IT: A Poem for Memorial Day




 My father served in the army during World War II. One of my mother's first cousins, John Koziski, was  killed in that war. A number of my friends served in the Vietnam War. Two did not return home. I'm
 posting a poem by Yusef Komunyakaa in honor of them and all of our veterans who have served our 
 country during wartime.

 FACING IT
 By Yusef Komunyakaa

My black face fades,   
hiding inside the black granite.   
I said I wouldn't  
dammit: No tears.   
I'm stone. I'm flesh.   
My clouded reflection eyes me   
like a bird of prey, the profile of night   
slanted against morning. I turn   
 

this way—the stone lets me go.   
I turn that way—I'm inside   
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
again, depending on the light
to make a differenceVietnam Veterans Memorial Located in Washington D.C., the Memorial is roughly 500 feet wide, and the names of soldiers who died in Vietnam are etched on its black granite walls. For more information and photos, visit The Wall-USA.
   


Click here to read the rest of the poem.




 
***************

Dani has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Doing the Work that Matters.

 

 

Friday, May 10, 2019

A Poem in Memory of My Beautiful Mother




A poem in memory of my beautiful mother Mary Koziski Drabik (February 24, 1918-January 5, 2017)
MOTHER'S DAY
by David Young

I see her doing something simple, paying bills,
or leafing through a magazine or book,
and wish that I could say, and she could hear,

that now I start to understand her love
for all of us, the fullness of it.

Click here to read the rest of the poem.
***************
My mother's last Mother's Day (2016)
Mother's Day 2012

***************
Elizabeth Steinglass has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week.




Friday, May 3, 2019

DOUBLE DACTYLS about Fairy Tales & Children's Books



Here are some double dactyls that I wrote years ago. All of them are about children’s books and fairy tales. Not sure that I adhered to the poetic form perfectly. Still, it was fun writing them!

Higgeldy piggeldy
Charlotte Cavatica,
Writer and weaver,
Spun tales for her friend,

Wilbur, the runt pig
She nurtured and cherished.
That spider was loyal
And true to the end.


Higgeldy piggeldy
Vegan Pete Rabbit
Pilfered some lettuce
And carrots and kale.

Mister McGregor
Chased after that bunny
But Peter escaped
By the fluff of his tail.

 
Higgeldy piggeldy
Poor Sleeping Beauty
Slumbered for decades
Because of a spell.

Prince Charming knelt down and
Kissed the prone princess.
They married. They’re happy.
There’s no more to tell.

 
Higgeldy piggeldy
Sad Cinderella
Sat in the ashes
Bemoaning her fate.

Godmother fairy
Said: “Honey, don’t blubber.
My magic will score you
A rich, handsome mate.”

 
Higgeldy piggeldy
Beauty was grossed out
Watching the ugly Beast
Nnoshing raw boar.

“God,” she said, “can’t you please
Masticate quietly!
Dining with you is
A distasteful chore.”
 
 
Higgeldy piggeldy
Max was a "wild thing,"
Got into mischief,
Was sent to his room,
 
Kicked up a rumpus
With Like-minded wild things.
Some kiddies go crazy
Once they leave the womb.

***************
Click here for the definition of the Double Dactyl from The Poetry Foundation.

***************
Jama has the Poetry Friday Roundup at her wonderful blog Alphabet Soup.

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Announcing the winner of YOU JUST WAIT: A Poetry Friday Power Book

 
Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of YOU JUST WAIT: A Poetry Friday Power Book by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. I got wrapped up in watching the Mueller/Barr hearing yesterday and forgot what day it was!
 
I am happing to announce that Mary Lee Hahn of A Reading Year is the winner of YOU JUST WAIT. Congratulations, Mary Lee!