April is
National Poetry Month! Since 1996, the Academy of American Poets has teamed up with publishers, booksellers, literary groups, libraries, schools, writers an poets across the country to "celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture."
To celebrate, I'm sharing with you the inscription that I found on the inside front cover of an old copy of Modern American Poetry, c. 1930 (purchased with one
Emily Ramey at the
Argosy Bookstore in New York, which I highly recommend to all you booklovers out there).
"Words of My Own
Poetry is what you thought about when you were a child, somehow not forgotten in the business of growing up, and discovered to be true, and valuable, and possible, just as you always thought it was...
Poetry is the language of a hoped-for country of light, overheard when the road you walk on brings you nearer the unknown border than ever before...
Poetry is that amazement you feel when you understand that light can be like a sword, the voice like a hand caressing you, thought like a flower bursting into bloom, or joy like a star falling through the sky...
Poetry is the coin, out of the full and leaden handful we throw down in payment for the hours of life, that rings true and clear, and lies glittering where it falls...
Poetry is the tree of life packed in a seed and planted in the heart and mind where it takes root, and grows green and flowers, and is the tree again...
Poetry is what sight would be to the blind, speech to the dumb, walking to the crippled and life to the condemned; but you and I see, speak, walk, live and we have poetry."
-John Holmes
I used to have much cooler HP bookends (still do, back at Mom's house!), but these were the only ones I could find still available. Oh well, they are still certainly very fun.
High five for books! Round of applause!
tree-planting plans?
Day for Night book popped onto my radar following Boswell and Book's glowing review a few months ago. At first glance, it didn't sound like something I'd necessarily pick up: a family vacationing in Florida meets a boat guide who takes them to swim with manatees. I have a weird bias against Florida-based novels, but I am ever-so-glad that I got over it for this stunning novel.
Yes, that's a purse. Made out of a book. I'm torn between loving this nifty little bags and hating them for what they are. The concept is really interesting, but the thought of tearing a book apart to make it... well that just breaks my heart a little. Thoughts? Are these cool enough to overcome the standard booklover's hatred of book destruction?
To be fair, the website states, "Most of these books were damaged or being thrown away to begin with, I don't cut up valuable books or books in fantastic condition. I take great care to find books that are already falling apart or are unwanted, like out of date textbooks." They also offer to send the interior pages along with the purse when purchased, if interested.
You can see the directions on the original Mother Nature post. Happy potting, friends! Just in time for spring, too. Now if only I didn't always manage to kill my plants...
