Poetry is a constant in my day… it is the thing I start my day with – reading a poem or two. And my favorite month of all is Poetry Month which happens every year in April. But one month with a focus on poetry is just not enough and even though occasionally a poem shows up on my blog, it almost feels like an afterthought… The I-don’t-have-anything-to-post-today-so-here’s-a-poem post. And that is kind of sad, because poetry is never just an afterthought. So welcome to:
A Gathering of Poetry
The inspiration behind this idea was a post from Bonny which spurred a flurry of emails from Kym and voilá… every month on the third Thursday, we will be sharing with you all a poem!
This month, my poetry selection is from Ted Kooser. I really love his poems and he is such a prolific poet!
A Dervish of Leaves
by Ted Kooser
Sometimes when I’m sad, the dead leaves
in the bed of my pickup get up on their own
and start dancing. I’ll be driving along,
glance up at the mirror and there they’ll be,
swirling and bowing, their flying skirts
brushing the back window, not putting a hand
on the top of the cab to steady themselves,
but daringly leaning out over the box,
making fun of the fence posts we’re passing
who have never left home, teasing the rocks
rolled away into the ditches, leaves light
in their slippers, dancing around in the back
of my truck, tossing their cares to the wind,
sometimes, when I’m down in my heart.
“A Dervish of Leaves” by Ted Kooser Copyright © 2020
It is our hope that you will be moved to join us on the third Thursday and share a poem!
See you all back here tomorrow!
Oh, yes. Ted is such a wonderful poet. (And . . . middle-American roots; always a weak spot for me. . . ) Thanks for sharing the poem today, Kat — and also for suggesting the Gathering of Poetry in the first place. XO
This is a wonderful poem, Kat, and one I’ll think of often! When I’m a passenger in John’s truck, I always check my side-view mirror to see if leaves are blowing out of the truck bed. But now I’ll think of them dancing, teasing the rocks and fence posts. Simply wonderful and I thank you for sharing (and for coming up with the idea in the first place)!
Gosh I love this poem. I enjoy Ted K’s poetry a lot, but this one is a new one to me. I love the images it brings to my mind. Thank you for sharing!
This is a wonderful idea, I look forward to reading my poetry each month.
I really like this poem. I don’t have a pick up truck, but I will think of it when I see the dervishes of leaves dancing on the side walk when I take my daily walk.
This is fantastic! I have been noticing the “dance” of some single leaves falling when I’ve been outside, and I like his portrayal of them better than the depressing things I usually associate with dried fallen leaves.
Kooser is one of my favorite poets. It’s a long story but he lives not far from Lincoln. A woman in my bookgroup had a connection with him and so our bookgroup spent an evening with him. I’ll never forget that evening.
Oh this is a lovely poem! I cannot wait until fall and cool crisp air – it puts me in such a pleasant mood.