"reading" by joanne burns / Poem of the Day : The Poetry Foundation

Listen to an audio recording of joanne burns reading this poem of hers: reading / Poem of the Day : The Poetry Foundation

"The Afternoon Sun" by C. P. Cavafy (1863-1933) : The Poetry Foundation

Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy was born on this day in 1863. Read this poem of his, a poem translated by Edmund Keeley: The Afternoon Sun by C. P. Cavafy : The Poetry Foundation

C. P. Cavafy

"Custodians" by David Livewell : The Poetry Foundation

Read the poem "Custodians" by David Livewell.

Chrysanthemum: An Anthology

Poetry

Chasing the Horizon: A Futile Endeavor?

     According to American politician Bob Dole, "The horizon is out there somewhere, and you just keep chasing it, looking for it and working for it." The following is an untitled poem, by American writer Stephen Crane (1871-1900), about a man chasing the horizon:

     I saw a man pursuing the horizon;
     Round and round they sped.
     I was disturbed at this;
     I accosted the man.
     "It is futile," I said,
     "You can never -- "

     "You lie," he cried,
     And ran on.

Stephen Crane (1871-1900)

"Rotation" by Natasha Trethewey / Poem of the Day : The Poetry Foundation

Read this poem: Rotation by Natasha Trethewey : The Poetry Foundation

"Daddy Longlegs" by Ted Kooser : The Poetry Foundation

American poet Ted Kooser was born on this day in 1939. Read this poem of his: Daddy Longlegs by Ted Kooser : The Poetry Foundation

Ted Kooser

"Evening Hawk" by Robert Penn Warren : The Poetry Foundation

Robert Penn Warren was born on this day in 1905. Read this poem of his: Evening Hawk by Robert Penn Warren : The Poetry Foundation

Robert Penn Warren (1905-1989)

American author and educator;

poet laureate (1986-87)

Sonnet 98 by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) : The Poetry Foundation

Read Sonnet 98: "From you have I been absent in the spring" by William Shakespeare

On April 23, 1616, English poet and dramatist William Shakespeare, 52, died on what has been traditionally regarded as the anniversary of his birth in 1564.

William Shakespeare

Poem of the Day, 4/22/2015: "End of Winter" by Louise Glück (born 4/22/1943) : The Poetry Foundation

End of Winter by Louise Glück : The Poetry Foundation

Poem of the Day, 4/20/2015: "The Island Within" by Richard Blanco : The Poetry Foundation

The Island Within by Richard Blanco : The Poetry Foundation

"The Sun Came" by Etheridge Knight : The Poetry Foundation

Etheridge Knight was born on this day in 1931. Read this poem of his: The Sun Came by Etheridge Knight : The Poetry Foundation

Etheridge Knight (1931-1991)

"The Gospel in Miniature" by Jesus Christ : The Bible

"The giver makes the gift precious." So said an anonymous author. Here is a poem from the Gospel According to St. John, a poem about a precious gift from God.


THE GOSPEL IN MINIATURE
A poem of Jesus Christ

(John 3:16, which Martin Luther called
"the Gospel in miniature")

God so loved the world
That he gave his only Son,
So that everyone
Who believes in him may not
Die but have eternal life.

"A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit" by Jesus Christ : The King James Bible

A TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT
A poem of Jesus Christ

(Luke 6:43-45, King James Version)

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit;
Neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
For every tree is known by his own fruit.
For of thorns men do not gather figs,
Nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
A good man out of the good treasure
Of his heart bringeth forth that which is good;
And an evil man out of the evil treasure
Of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil:
For of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

"The Expatriates" by Anne Sexton / Poem of the Day : The Poetry Foundation

Listen to a recording of American poet Anne Sexton reading her love poem "The Expatriates":
The Expatriates / Poem of the Day : The Poetry Foundation

Anne Sexton (1928-1974)

(Source of photo: The Poetry Foundation)

"O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman : The Poetry Foundation

Read O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman : The Poetry Foundation

On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died nine hours after being shot the night before by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington; Andrew Johnson became the nation's 17th president.

"O Captain! My Captain!" (1865) is a poem by Walt Whitman commemorating the death of Abraham Lincoln, the "Captain" who has brought the ship of state to a safe port but has "fallen cold and dead."

"I never saw a Moor -- " by Emily Dickinson

An untitled poem

by Emily Dickinson:

I never saw a Moor --

I never saw the Sea --

Yet know I how the Heather looks

And what a Billow be.

I never spoke with God

Nor visited in Heaven --

Yet certain am I of the spot

As if the Checks were given --

Source: The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson. This poem is in the public domain.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

American poet

Found poem: " . . . the spring is come . . . " by Sitting Bull

A found poem, a quotation from Sioux leader Sitting Bull (ca 1831-1890):

Behold, my friends, the spring is come;
the earth has gladly received
the embraces of the sun,
and we shall soon see
the results of their love!

Sitting Bull in 1885

"Keeping Things Whole" by Mark Strand : The Poetry Foundation

Mark Strand was born on this day in 1934. Read this poem of his: Keeping Things Whole by Mark Strand : The Poetry Foundation

Mark Strand (1934-2014)

"Blessings and Woes" by Jesus Christ : The King James Bible

BLESSINGS AND WOES
A poem of Jesus Christ

(Luke 6:20-26, King James Version)

Blessed be ye poor:
For yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are ye that hunger now:
For ye shall be filled.
Blessed are ye that weep now:
For ye shall laugh.

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you,
And when they shall separate you from their company,
And shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man's sake.
Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy:
For, behold, your reward is great in heaven:
For in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

But woe unto you that are rich!
For ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto you that are full!
For ye shall hunger.
Woe unto you that laugh now!
For ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

"The Beatitudes" by Jesus Christ : The King James Bible

THE BEATITUDES
A poem of Jesus Christ

(Matthew 5:3-12, King James Version)

Blessed are the poor in spirit:
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn:
For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek:
For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful:
For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart:
For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers:
For they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
And shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:
For great is your reward in heaven:
For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Poem for Wednesday, 4/8/2015: "Analysis of Baseball" by May Swenson : The Poetry Foundation

Analysis of Baseball by May Swenson : The Poetry Foundation

Poem for Monday, 4/6/2015: "April Inventory" by W. D. Snodgrass : The Poetry Foundation

April Inventory by W. D. Snodgrass : The Poetry Foundation

Poem for Easter Sunday, 4/5/2015: "Easter Wings" by George Herbert : The Poetry Foundation

Easter Wings by George Herbert : The Poetry Foundation

Poem for Holy Saturday: "In the Deep Museum" by Anne Sexton | Best Poems

Today is Holy Saturday, the Day of Silence, the Saturday before Easter. Read this poem by American poet Anne Sexton (1928-1974), a poem that recounts what Christ could have felt if he were still alive in the tomb: In The Deep Museum | Best Poems

You can also read "In the Deep Museum" (a poem its author divided into three stanzas of twelve lines each) in The Complete Poems (1981) by Anne Sexton (who is in the photo below).

Poem for Good Friday: "To Him That Was Crucified" by Walt Whitman | Best Poems

Today is Good Friday, the Friday before Easter observed in churches as the anniversary of the crucifixion of Christ. Read this poem: To Him that was Crucified. | Best Poems

"To Him That Was Crucified" by Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is one of the poems in his collection of poems Leaves of Grass (1892).

"Anagrammer" by Peter Pereira : Poetry Magazine

I love anagrams. Read this poem that has anagrams in it: Anagrammer by Peter Pereira : Poetry Magazine

"The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry : Poem Hunter

Read the poem "The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry. It was reprinted as a filler in the April 2009 issue of  Reader's Digest.

Wendell Berry
Photo by Dan Carraco