Read it or Weep

Poet Kay Ryan July 22, 2008

  I not only love to read books but I also love to read poetry so I wanted to share this news with all of you that Kay Ryan was appointed the 16th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry by the Librarian of Congress, Dr. James Billington.  She joins the impressive list of the other Poet Laureates that include Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, Rita Dove and Gwendolyn Brooks. On her appointment, Dr. Billington said “Kay Ryan is a distinctive and original voice within the rich variety of contemporary American poetry. She writes easily understandable short poems on improbable subjects. Within her compact compositions there are many surprises in rhyme and rhythm and in sly wit pointing to subtle wisdom.”

You can watch a video or listen to her read several of her own poems at Poets.org (from the Academy of American Poets): http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/352?gclid=CKTq76ie1JQCFRLhxgodLTF94Q

She really does write short poems! Here is one that I found to be thought-provoking:

Hope

by Kay Ryan

 What’s the use
of something
as unstable
and diffuse as hope-
the almost-twin
of making-do,
the isotope
of going on:
what isn’t in
the envelope
just before
it isn’t:
the always tabled
righting of the present.

 (from her poetry collection, Elephant Rocks)

 Wow! July is such a wonderful month for reading…books, poems, newspapers, magazines…ANYTHING!

(I also think January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December are great months for reading too!) Happy Reading!

~Donna