May 31, 2013

POETRY FRIDAY: Short and Sweet Poems

While browsing through poems to share with my boys’ classes for Poem in Your Pocket Day in April, I was struck yet again by the power of concise, focused poetry. I have always been drawn toward shorter poems, simply because I am fascinated by how some writers have the ability to create such powerful poetry from so few words. Reading a well-written short poem is like looking through a camera lens and zooming in on your subject with the auto focus turned on.

Here is a beautiful example, in this poem by Robert Frost:
Dust of Snow
by Robert Frost (1874-1963)

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

 
My very favorite example of a short, focused poem is "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams (1883-1963). (Follow this link to read it: This is Just to Say)

Another great example is “Window” by Carl Sandburg (1878-1967). (Follow this link to read it: Window)

What is your favorite short poem?

Happy Writing!

11 comments:

  1. I really liked all three- but, man, Robert Frost. I love that guy! I bought a pic book of Stoppig by Woods on a Snowy Evening for my little guy for when he's older, one of my all time fav poems.

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    1. It is one of my very favorites, too, Leandra! = )

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  2. *Thank You* for the Robert Frost poem.... Perfect.

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  3. I went in search of a short poem, this one gave me a chuckle.
    The Optimist by Benjamin Franklin

    The optimist fell ten stories.
    At each window bar
    He shouted to his friends:
    "All right so far."

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  4. Great examples of focused short poems. "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams is one of my all time favorites. =)

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  5. Great poem! Thanks for sharing it -- I hadn't read it before. Here's a favorite shortie of mine:

    A Blank White Page
    by Francisco X. Alarcón

    A blank white page
    is a meadow
    after a snowfall
    that a poem
    hopes to cross

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    Replies
    1. This is wonderful, Tabatha! Thanks so much for sharing it! = )

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  6. A belated thank you for this post. Short and sweet is definitely my cup o' tea as well, and I've loved all the little gems posted here, including those in the comments!

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