A Poem In Your Pocket

Today was official "Poem In Your Pocket" day, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets, and Lawrence School grabbed hold of it and celebrated. Third grade students positioned themselves at each school door with baskets of poetry to greet everyone coming in. Hundreds of poems were picked up and put in pockets to be read throughout the day! Our day of poetry concluded with Poetry Night in the library with students and adults sharing favorite poems (their own or those of other poets), confirming just how varied poems can be and how universally they speak to our feelings and experiences. Of course, we don't limit our poetry enjoyment just to the month of April (official poetry month) but having a really good excuse to read poems every single day has been terrific!

The Orange

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange--

The size of it made us all laugh.

I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave--

They got quarters and I had a half.

And that orange, it made me so happy,

As ordinary things often do

Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park.

This is peace and contentment. It's new.

The rest of the day was quite easy.

I did all the jobs on my list

And enjoyed them and had some time over.

I love you. I'm glad I exist.

Wendy Cope