Yesterday, I was managing the chaos of checking out an insane amount of books my children had selected from the library when a little box of neatly arranged poems that were small enough to fit in a pocket caught my eye. I then noticed the sign next to the little box that read “Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 29, 2010”.
“What a neat idea”, I thought – it’s not everyday I see a box of poems for the taking in my small Midwestern town.
We moved on our merry way and while I did not take a poem, I enjoyed the few milliseconds that I was allowed to peruse the box and read a few snippets of poetry until my little person in the stroller let out a very-audible wail in the quiet evening hours of our local library.
Time to move on. I forgot about “Poem in Your Pocket Day”.
Fast forward to this afternoon when I was checking my email and found a message from “She Writes”, a wonderful organization for writers that is absolutely amazing. The message stated “Today is the last day of National Poetry Month, and The Academy of American Poets has proclaimed it Poem In Your Pocket Day. In honor of the day I’m calling on She Writers to print out a poem (or, gasp, write one down on a piece of paper using a pen), put it in your pocket, and unfold it somewhere lovely, like in the hands of a friend, on a park bench, in a grocery store aisle, in a cafe.”
I had no idea this was a national thing but I simply adore the concept. To pepper our world with words placed strategically around high traffic areas? It makes a literature-lovin’ mama such as myself go simply crazy with joy.
It was too late in my day to participate in this manner, so consider this post my “Poetry in My Pocket Day” – one day late and not necessarily in the manner they requested but alas, it’s still sharing poetry. And have I ever mentioned how poetic words sweep me away? Well they do.
The “She Writes” message also included a video of Naomi Shahib Nye reading her poem entitled “One Boy Told Me” in which she details various things her son told her when he was two to three years old. It’s only two minutes and so worth your time – it made my day.
Later in the day, I went to Sawyer’s room to rouse him from his nap. He is normally wide awake at the end of nap time but today he was sleeping peacefully. I obviously had been inspired by Nye’s poem for this is what spouted out from me this evening:
Nap Time
I hesitate to wake you
Yet I step into the doorframe
And stare at your sweet face sleeping so quietly.
It’s one of the few times you are still,
And you look completely at peace.
I sidle up to you and drink in the sweet smell
Of your curls.
You groggily flutter your eyes and
A slight grin overtakes your face.
You look like a cat stretching out in the
Afternoon sun streaming through your window.
Nap time is over.
I place my hand gingerly over your heart
And I feel the quick pace of it’s beat.
I want to leave it there forever –
to protect it from hurt or pain or devastation.
But I know I can’t.
I can’t keep you in this warm room forever
Though with all of my soul
I want to hold you close.
It’s time to wake up, my sweet son.
It’s time to wake up.
LOVE this concept, too!
OK, your poem totally made me tear up. I completely relate. Morning time and the end of nap time are two of my favorite times of day because I just love how soft and sweet my daughter is….she’s definitely more of a morning person and than I. She is almost 3 and still does the same things she did when she was an infant…the way she stretches, smiles then reaches for me. I constantly ask her, “will you let mommy hold you and love you like this when you’re 16?” She always answers yes. :)
~melody~
Thanks, Melody! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I know what you mean – I love the way they smell when they first wake up…So strange but I even love their sweet little morning breath!!!
I love that you ask your daughter this question because I tell my children that they will ALWAYS be my babies. My daughter then usually asks “Even when I’m as old as you, mama?”
“Yes, dear. Even when you are as ancient as your mommy,” I say to the little rugrat. :)
Thanks for reading and commenting, Melody! Have a great weekend!
I love your poem! It’s such a sweet time watching them sleep and first awake, isn’t it? You just want to hold onto that innocence that is so visible at that moment.
I’ll put this poem in the pocket of my heart.
Yes, it is. I love when they are so sweet and still groggy with sleep. Melt, melt, melt…
Thanks for adding my words to your heart pocket – what a great line!! :)
“It’s one of the few times you are still”.
You KNOW how much I relate to this one! I love it! Beautiful poem, Natalie, and you are right…this is a wonderful idea, leaving poetry where others will have the chance to read it. Maybe we’ll even remember this idea for next year.
Maybe…
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Mothers Making Strides 5K =-.
Yes, I thought you might like that line, Heather…:)
I will remember IF I have adequate warning – the day of does not work in my world but a few days before? I could possibly manage that. I will be more alert for next year so will remind you!! :) I figure we can’t store all of the info we are supposed to store so that’s why we have girlfriends, right?
Have a great weekend and thanks for reading and commenting!
What a beautiful and sweet poem.
And what a need idea… Poem in Your Pocket Day!
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Caffeinated Randomness =-.
Thanks for the share today and so many other days. I have had many a comment to write but so is the life of a mother- I never get it. I may creat a speedy “like” button that I can push similiar to Facebook so you know you have once again brightened my morning coffee time. Have a great weekend and keep up the wonderful writing.
Farin, I was thinking about you the other day! No worries at all about not commenting but I do think of you each time my “People” arrives! I am back to getting it on Thursday now. Whew! The poor mail people can stopped being blamed for taking my issue until to read until Saturday. I am so ridiculous.
You made my day, dear one. Thank you so much for reading and commenting! LOVE the “Like” idea by the way!
Get it published..wow…took my breath away. I have felt EXACTLY that way!! Thanks for sharing it! I wish I had your talent. Have a wonderful CR Friday!
.-= Bobbi´s last blog ..Caffeinated Randomness: Colanders and a 30 year old teenager!! =-.
Thank you so much, Bobbi! I think we can all relate as mommy’s – that sweet time when they are so still and innocent.
Thanks for reading and commenting – have a great weekend!
what a neat idea!
oh, i left you something on my blog. check it out :)
.-= cheri´s last blog ..three generations =-.
Thanks, Cheri! I will check it out!
Poem in your Pocket day….what a fabulous idea. I love poetry. The lyrical beauty of the words….the images they create. And thanks for sharing about She Writes I am going to check it out.
Have a wonderful weekend Natalie.
Ahh, yes. What a wonderful way to say that – “The lyrical beauty of words.” Love it.
You will enjoy “She Writes” – great resource and a wonderful way to actually talk with some pretty well-known writers!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Christy!
Thought you’d enjoy my “blog” for the day (my almost daily updates to family/friends on my children, mainly my son Dean 4 yrs old). With you having 2 boys and today’s post you might find a good laugh:
So Im outside with Dean and talking to someone on the phone. He asks me for “Paper, the kind that Daddy reads”. I asked why and he said he wanted a paper route. Okay, cute pretend game. So he takes a few sections and crams them into a part of his bike and rides to our neighbors, rings the doorbell and gives him a wrinkled Garden section. Of course he gives him a quarter!
So then he rides over to the other house, throws a big wadded section on their front step. Then he takes off the other direction with me chasing him down like Im the police and he’s a “perp”, and he darts up to the next neighbors house and throws a wadded section before I could take him down by the ankles. I tell him its too much and he starts crying. Then the wind picks up and now Im chasing pages across these people’s yards and he pushes his bike home with a snotty nose.
Note he is also only wearing swim trunks and a helmet :)
I. FREAKING. LOVE. THIS. STORY.
Do you live at our house?
Farin, you have no idea how much I appreciate this story. Well, actually, you do. It sounds like Dean is much like my Sawyer – he is going to carry out his idea come hell or high water and if you are an obstacle, watch out!
They are so fun, energetic, and exhausting. And lovable, and giggly, and SO in love with their mamas. I won’t lie – I eat the latter up like a good slice of chocolate pie.
Snips and snails and puppy dog tails only scratches the surface…
Thanks for your hysterical comment – keep ’em coming, Farin!
WAIT – Farin, do you have a blog? I don’t have one for you – just an email. Please clarify because I want to visit your blog if you have one!
Hah- I WISH I had a blog, but I have yet to master the art of true time management so I only send “blogs” in my version of quick email updates to family/friends when one of the kids has a moment I feel should be shared. It allows me to keep my sanity and find the humor in the event as a I replay it for others. Plus Im secretly hoping all my “readers’ will act as my brains later in life and be able to relive these stories to my kids as I am sure I will forget them.
I too thought that Dean and Sawyer sounded like partners in crime. How is it that they drive us to the brink but one “I Wuv you” sends me melting again. Typical men :)
What a great poem. It reminds me when I go in to turn off the lights in my kids rooms before I tuck into bed. They’re so peacful and remind me of when they were babies.
I loved the reading by Naomi Shahib Nye. What poetry I could right through my daughter’s world – You have a lot of Xs and We want a lot of Xs.
.-= Michelle @ Lost in the Prairies´s last blog ..Caffeinated Randomness – Pictures =-.
I know – I did not know about her and now I am in love with her work! I agree – what we could write out of the mouths of babes. Thanks for reading and commenting, Michelle!
I used to write poetry all the time in high school. It wasn’t very good! :P
.-= Andrea´s last blog ..Gathered Together: May 1 & 2 =-.