April is national poetry month (Have you ever looked up how many holidays are observed in a month? There’s a great deal, from the serious to the peculiar. It’s also Frog Month, Straw Hat Month, and Kite Month among other things.)
To celebrate, I thought I’d do a brief tour through some of my favorite poets/poems.
The first would have to be Shel Silverstein. He’s a childhood favorite. My dad bought me A Light in the Attic for my ninth birthday, and I read it many times that year, and in the years following. As I got older, I went to it less, but I still page through it from time to time.
They’re funny, and short, and come with hilarious and occasionally terrifying illustrations. And they rhyme, which while not necessary, is nice. Just a few poems is enough to lighten a dark day for me, and I’m sure many other people, no matter their age.
The poems are funny, thoughtful, and cover a wide range of topics. It’s nearly impossible to pick one as a favorite. The title poem is wonderful, for one. And so is this one.
Aaah, I remember this book so well! A great one, for sure!