Old Favorites

It’s the last day of National Poetry Month, so let me share some old favorites:

“The First Snowfall” by James Russell Lowell I have loved this poem since the first time I read it. There is such beauty in it. The loss is deep, but so is the solace.

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost Ever since Ponyboy read this poem to Johnny in The Outsiders, it has held a special place in my heart.

“She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron In seventh (or maybe eighth) grade, I had to make a poetry anthology, much like the one I now assign to my students, and I included this poem. I can still see the drawing I made on the paper that I wrote the poem on. It’s so tender.

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth I’ve taught this poem for almost 25 year, but when I hiked the Lake District that I truly appreciated the glory of this poem.

“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight” by Dylan Thomas If you’ve ever sat at the bedside of a dying loved one, this poem will cut to your heart.

Springtime Pastimes

Yesterday while browsing through a book of John Betjeman’s poems, I came across this poem about golf (“Seaside Golf”). Since I played my first round of the year on Monday and it was probably my best round yet, I decided to go with it, and I thought I’d round up a few poems about golf to share; however, I found that Leon S. White, PhD beat me to it. Here’s a review of his 2011 book, Golf Course of Rhymes, an anthology of golf poems by writers from England, Scotland and the US and a link to his blog, golfpoet where he shares his own golf inspired poetry.

So, let me share some poems instead that reference, if not actually are about, other spring pastimes:

“Fishing on the Susquehanna in July” by Billy Collins

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth

“What I Would LIke to Grow in My Garden” by Katherine Riegel

“Inspiration Point” by Jennifer Jean

So begin today with a few poems and then get out there and enjoy spring! And as always, I’d love to hear from you. Which of these are your favorites? Or is there another you’d like to add to the collection?