Tag: April is National Poetry month

Maine’s Poet Laureate

I just learned that Maine’s current Poet Laureate, Stuart Kestenbaum, wrote  a poem that is very near and dear to me.  I read this poem a long time ago and it’s from his 1990 publication “Pilgrimage”.

56c37643f7fba318f0a62a56d3470087_XL

 

Starting the Subaru at Five Below
by Stuart Kestenbaum

After 6 Maine winters and 100,000 miles,
when I take it to be inspected

I search for gas stations where they
just say beep the horn and don’t ask me to

put it on the lift, exposing its soft
rusted underbelly. Inside is the record

of commuting: apple cores, a bag from
McDonald’s, crushed Dunkin’ Donuts cups,

a flashlight that doesn’t work and one
that does, gas receipts blurred beyond

recognition.  Finger tips numb, nose
hair frozen, I pump the accelerator

and turn the key. The battery cranks,
the engines gives 2 or 3 low groans and

starts. My God it starts. And unlike
my family in the house, the job I’m

headed towards, the poems in my briefcase,
the dreams I had last night, there is,

no question about what makes sense.
White exhaust billowing from the tail pipe.

Heater blowing, this car is going to
move me, it’s going to take me places

—————————————————

Other works by Kestenbaum include:

House of Thanksgiving (2003)

Prayers & Run-On Sentences (2007)

Only Now (2014)

 

(Information from The Maine Edge, dated April 13, 2016)

 

 

 

 

Friday Poetry Prompt

poetry prompt: death and taxes  

———————————————————————

Poet and writer Dorothy Parker has a collection of poems titled “Death and Taxes” One of my favorite poems from that collection is “Summary”:

Summary
by Dorothy Parker

Every love’s the love before
In a duller dress.
That’s the measure of my lore-
Here’s my bitterness:
Would I knew a little more,
Or very much less

This is a GREAT movie about Dorothy Parker (it’s actually just a short trailer):

30 poems in 30 days challenge :)

I am trying the 30 poems in 30 days challenge (which is NOT like the Special K 30 day challenge which I have never taken and probably never will)

I have written 2 poems in as many days…..so off to a good start 🙂

 

Why not try the challenge with me?  Or you could start with just one poem 🙂

 

Get inspiration and poetry prompts at

http://www.poetrypasta.wordpress.com 

AND

http://www.napowrimo.net

Poetic things happening

Poetic things happening

Wednesday April 23 – 12th Annual Poets/Speak

Celebrate poetry in the heart of Maine. The Bangor Public Library will host The 12th Annual Poets/Speak! More than 25 well-known and emerging poets, University of Maine students, & local Poetry Outloud winners will be on hand to read their work. This year, poets raise their voices for social, political, and environmental justice