Poem In Your Pocket Day

Thursday is Poem in Your Pocket Day.  The idea is to choose a favorite poem and share it with others.   Last year a few of my poetry friends posted poems on facebook. My husband sent his poem as an email to his colleagues.  There are many ideas on how to celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day  (Poets. org, ilovelibraries.org).  Even Martha Stewart has her hand in making this day a success.  Stewart's staff has graciously provided a template, pocket-sized.  It is easy to print off and use.  If you want to get even craftier than Martha Stewart, choose pretty paper and tie it with string.  Make a dozen.  Hand out copies.   If you write it out a dozen times, you are well on your way to knowing your poem by heart.

Link to Martha Stewart Template and another one here.

                                                                                                                                 Pinterest Photo Link

One of Martha Stewart's favorite poems is "The Lanyard" by Billy Collins.  I admit to being intrigued.   Martha Stewart's mother died in 2007 at the age of ninty-three.  I remember "Big Martha,"  as she was affectionately called, from television specials where she joined Martha Stewart onscreen.  She was a small woman, hard and wizened, and she did not take her daughter as seriously as the rest of us.  With all of Martha Stewart's houses, money, fame, and success, did Martha attempt to repay her working-class Polish mother with things?  If so, how pointless.  Listen to Collins' poem.  He explains it well.

 By the way, this is a lanyard.