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Featured Poems of the Week:

Week of 5/21/23:

I'm a retired middle school principal, but life's been busy lately because I'm helping a principal-friend out at a local middle school where I'm a long-term sub for four 8th grade Language Arts classes.  Oh yeah -- the life of a teacher is QuItE BuSy!  Things will slow down soon though as school ends on 6/9 -- AND -- I can see the light at the end of the tunnel -- especially with a three-day weekend coming up!  : )

In tribute to three-day weekends (LOVE 'EM when I'm not in retirement mode), I have posted Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "At leisure is the soul" as one of our Featured Poems of the Week.  Dickinson's poem inspired his third cousin Emily to pen her poem with the same opening line, our other Featured Poem.
​

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
At leisure is the Soul
That gets a Three Day Weekend –
The Width of Life – before it spreads
Without a thing to tend –
 
It begs you give it Play –
Or just some R & R –
And put off Housework – as We do –
To Search a Vacant Bar –



By Emily Dickinson:
 
At leisure is the Soul
That gets a Staggering Blow –
The Width of Life – before it spreads
Without a thing to do –

It begs you give it Work –
But just the placing Pins –
Or humblest Patchwork – Children do –
To Help its Vacant Hands –
            


 ​IN OTHER NEWS:  HAVE YOU SEEN MY NEW WEBSITE, "CODA"?  IT INCLUDES A LIST OF MY TOP 100 CLASSICAL MUSIC FAVORITES -- HERE. 

​PLUS, ONCE PER WEEK, I LISTEN TO A PIECE I'VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE AND RATE IT (HERE).
LAST WEEK I LISTENED TO SERGE BORTKIEWICZ'S PIANO CONCERTO.
​
THIS WEEK I WILL LISTEN TO TBA.
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Last Week's Featured Poems of the Week:

Week of 5/14/23:

A FEW NOTES:

​Happy Moher's Day to all you mothers out there!  I hope you have a wonderful day!  Annnd...I hope those with whom you cohabitate do not abide by an outdated belief system where "the woman does all the work around the house" as implied in Emmett Lee Dickinson's short poem "It's such a little thing to sweep," one of our current  Featured Poems of the Week.  Dickinson's poem inspired his third cousin Emily to pen her poem "It's such a little thing to weep," our other Featured Poem.
​

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
It’s such a little thing to sweep
So short a thing to clean--
And yet—by Toil – we men with these
Try not to intervene!
​

By Emily Dickinson:
 
It's such a little thing to weep --
So short a thing to sigh --
And yet -- by Trades -- the size of these
We men and women die!



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Previous Week's Featured Poems of the Week:

Week of 5/7/23:

A FEW NOTES:

In this galaxy just last week, we celebrated all of those Star Wars Days:  May the Forth Be With You, Revenge of the Fifth,  and Revenge of the Sixth (are there any others/).

In tribute to the various Star Wars celebrations, I have posted Emmett Lee Dickinson's "'Obi-Wan?' I do now need you" as one of our Featured Poems of the Week.  Dickinson's poem inspired his third cousin Emily to pen her poem "'Unto Me?' I do not know you," our other Featured Poem. 


By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
“Obi-Wan?” I do now need you –
Where may be your House?
 
“I am Leia – Late of Polis Massa –
Now – of Alderaan” –
 
X-Wings – have you to convey me?
This is far, far Away –
 
“Arms I need – omniscient Jedi –
Trust in the Force” –
 
I’ve been spotted – “I need Help” –
I am small – “At Least
Be esteemed in the Force to help Me --
You’re my only Hope” –
​

By Emily Dickinson:
 
"Unto Me?" I do not know you –
Where may be your House?
 
"I am Jesus – Late of Judea –
Now – of Paradise" –
 
Wagons – have you – to convey me?
This is far from Thence –
 
"Arms of Mine – sufficient Phaeton –
Trust Omnipotence" –
 
I am spotted – "I am Pardon" –
I am small – "The Least
Is esteemed in Heaven the Chiefest –
Occupy my House" –
​
​

A "twofer" this week -- we have TWO sets of Featured Poems of the Week, the two poems above and the two poems below.  Since the theme this week is "Star Wars," I have posted Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "the darkside is fine)but Darth" -- the very poem that inspired E. E. Cummings to write his poem "dying is fine)but Death."
By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

the darkside is fine)but Darth
 
?o
bi wan kanob
i
 
wouldn’t like
 
Darth if Darth
were
decent:for
 
then(instead of slaughtering the Clones)you
 
begin to feel the force
’s phenomenal
why?be
 
cause the darkside is
 
entirely natural;entirely
putting
it predictably deadly(but
 
Darth
 
is severely
volatile
& explosive &
 
evil & cruel)
 
we thank the
force
ubiquitous for the darkside
(forgive us,o Luke! the son of Darth
By E. E. Cummings:

dying is fine)but Death
 
?o
baby
i
 
wouldn't like
 
Death if Death
were
good:for
 
when(instead of stopping to think)you
 
begin to feel of it,dying
's miraculous
why?be
 
cause dying is
 
perfectly natural;perfectly
putting
it mildly lively(but
 
Death
 
is strictly
scientific
& artificial &
 
evil & legal)
 
we thank thee
god
almighty for dying
(forgive us,o life!the sin of Death
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