VALENTINE FOR ERNEST MANN
by Naomi Shihab Nye
You can't order a poem like you order a taco.
Walk up to the counter, say, "I'll take two"
and expect it to be handed back to you
on a shiny plate.
Still, I love your spirit.
Anyone who says, "Here's my address,
write me a poem," deserves something in reply.
So I'll tell a secret instead:
poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes,
they are sleeping. They are the shadows
drifting across our ceilings the moment
before we wake up. What we have to do
is live in the way that lets us find them.
Click here to read the rest of the poem.
Linda has the Poetry Friday Roundup at TeacherDance.
I read this every Valentine's Day when I taught, Elaine. It is so, so special! Happy Valentine's Day to you & all the family!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorites too. I used to share it with my students every Valentine's Day! I hadn't read it since I retired so seeing it here today was a real treat!
ReplyDeleteThis is a favorite of mine and quickly becomes a favorite of my students every year. Thanks for posting it today.
ReplyDeleteSo much truth in this poem.
ReplyDeleteThis is a favorite of mine, too!
ReplyDeleteGood to know that lots of my blog friends love this poem, too. I first read it in Paul Janeczko's book THE PLACE MY WORDS ARE LOOKING FOR--a book that introduced me to many fine adult poets.
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