Sometimes I come across a new poem that I enjoy, and more than once it has turned out to be one by Paul Zimmer. His poems are sometimes about the ordinary day’s events, and in his writing he gives such great notice to them. It’s something I want to ensure my students know is important to write about, those little things they know. Zimmer's poems help me teach that.
When Zimmer recreates a small moment, of events or feelings or a remembered conversation into a poem, he honors that moment in the words, as he does in this poem:
Bach and My Father
Six days a week my father sold shoes
To support our family through depression and war. . .
Find the rest of the poem here.
"Brisk melodies, symmetry, civility, and passion.
ReplyDeleteWhen it finished, he asked to hear it again,
Moving his right hand in time. He would have
Risen to dance if he had known how."
I love how this classical piece was captured: the briskness, symmetry, civility, passion - controlled intensity, measured heat. I love how the choice of each word was not random - each one a world unto itself. Thank you for sharing this.
What a moving poem. It's so vivid and includes wonderful descriptions. Thanks for sharing it today.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely poem! As Myra said, each word so carefully chosen and placed, so precise. A beautiful moment honored in words, as you said. Will look for more Zimmer poems now, thanks to you :).
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, this poem brings tears to my eyes. My dad's been long gone, but I miss having been able to get to know him adult-to-adult and share my life with him.
ReplyDeleteAnd I remember hearing Vivaldi for the first time when I was in college. So I understand coming late to The Important Stuff that everybody else seems to have grown up with...