In this vein, I wanted to share a few short poems that have narrative qualities within them, and that have impacted my time abroad and my growing life. As John Adams said, “You are never alone with a poet in your pocket.” These poems have kept me company through high school, college, and beyond.
What pieces of creative work do you think about or carry with you? Are there any moments in literature that have contributed to your understanding of the world, other people, or yourself?
The Gladdest Thing—The Orange by Wendy Cope
At lunchtime I bought a huge orange
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave—
They got quarters and I had a half.
And that orange, it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park.
This peace and contentment. It’s new.
The rest of the day was quite easy.
I did all the jobs on my list.
And enjoyed them and had some time over
I love you. I’m glad I exist.
This poem has a very strong point of view; you know immediately who is talking and what is happening. Why do you think Wendy Cope chose to write about this moment? How does the orange relate to contentment? How does the ending line relate to the orange?
Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
Then with cracked hands that ached
From labor in the weekday weather made
Banked fires blaze.Pages
