Week 5, An Old Poem That's New To Me
I listen to every day's version of "A Writer's Almanac" podcast (I just upload it from I-Tunes) when I'm alone in my car, driving to and from work. Aside from some interesting facts about writers, literary history and books, on each day's recording, Garrison Keillor reads aloud a poem. This week, he read one which, because its by Dorothy Parker, must be very old but one I'd never heard before but fell in love with. So, here it is, I think you'll like it too. Its about something we can all relate to.
Daily dawns another day;
Inscription for the Ceiling of a Bedroom
Daily dawns another day;
I must up, to make my way.
Though I dress and drink and eat,
Move my fingers and my feet,
Learn a little, here and there,
Weep and laugh and sweat and swear,
Hear a song, or watch a stage,
Leave some words upon a page,
Claim a foe, or hail a friend-
Bed awaits me at the end.
Though I go in pride and strength,
I'll come back to bed at length.
Though I walk in blinded woe,
Back to bed I'm bound to go.
High my heart, or bowed my head,
All my days but lead to bed.
Up, and out, and on; and then
Ever back to bed again,
Summer, Winter, Spring, and Fall-
I'm a fool to rise at all!
Dorothy Parker
(She's the one who said, "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses.")
Hi Annette!
ReplyDeleteDo you mind if I steal this poem from your blog? I really like it. This blog is a GREAT idea, by the way. Thank you for putting a link on facebook. I like this idea of consolidating the social networking. :)
And since you're discussing poetry, that bed reminds me of "Birches" by Robert Frost. "Once I was myself a swinger of birches, and so I dream of going back [to bed]." Is that how it goes? Maybe I misquoted it. ;)