Poetry Day

Ralph Copleman rcopleman at comcast.net
Fri Apr 22 12:41:14 PDT 2005


Raffi and all,

Well, Raffi, you had quite a workout with your excerpt from the Tao.
Congratulations on moving the system (and opening some very cool spaces)
with poetry.

You asked where the idea came from, or if I invented it.

It's not my invention.  I saw an advertisement in the New York Times
proclaiming "Poem in Your Pocket Day" It suggested it would be a good idea
to carry a poem in your pocket and read it to anyone and everyone all day
long.  I thought this was a lovely idea, so I selected a poem called "The
Metaphysicians of South Jersey" by Stephen Dunn, typed it up and prepared to
read it at the drop of a hat, as we say, anytime Thursday.  (But the only
time I left the house all day, I forgot to place the poem into my actual
pocket.)

There is nothing official about the idea, and as far as I know it is not on
anyone's list of "international" days or celebrations, thought I believe it
should be, certainly.  I think some publisher must have cooked it up.  I
like the idea a lot.  I've been known to read poems at odd public moments,
so it fits well with my personality.

I think, however, that my taste in poems may serve as much to close space as
to open it, but that, as someone once said, is another story.

In closing, let us not maqke the assumption that poetry we read (or write)
must be pregnant with great significance or philosophy.  For example, one of
my all-time favorite poems (by an unknown but brilliant author) is this:

Upon the breasts of a barmaid from Vail
Was tattooed the price of pale ale.
And upon her behind,
For the sake of the blind,
Was the same information in Braille.

(Shakespeare, eat your heart out.)


Ralph Copleman

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