Naomi Shihab Nye, "Rain"

A teacher asked Paul
what he would remember
from third grade, and he sat
a long time before writing
"this year somebody tutched me
on the sholder"
and turned his paper in.
Later she showed it to me
as an example of her wasted life.
The words he wrote were large
as houses in a landscape.
He wanted to go inside them
and live, he could fill in
the windows of "o" and "d"
and be safe while outside
birds building nests in drainpipes
knew nothing of the coming rain.


Today!

1. Currently! Quotes of the week and page totals! Week 6 book mark!

2. Write a response post? Up to you!

3. Write (at least?) one paragraph for your "Art of" project. Just save it to your network folder; you don't need to post it to your blog.

4. Ask me for help!

Dawn Potter, "Astrolabe"

William Stafford, "On a Church Lawn"

Dandelion cavalry, light little saviors,
baffle the wind, they ride so light.
They surround a church and outside the window
utter their deaf little cry: "If you listen
well, music won't have to happen."

After service they depart singly
to mention in the world their dandelion faith:
"God is not big; He is right."

"What Lips My Lips Have Kissed and Why," Edna St. Vincent Millay

"What Lips My Lips Have Kissed and Why," Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950)

What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
Upon the glass and listen for reply;
And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
For unremembered lads that not again
Will turn to me at midnight with a cry.
Thus in the winter stands a lonely tree,
Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,
Yet know its boughs more silent than before:
I cannot say what loves have come and gone;
I only know that summer sang in me
A little while, that in me sings no more.

Dean Young, "Scarecrow on Fire."

Hilarious first post on Memoirs of a White Latino:

Today i sat in my bed, under a mound of blankets (quite womanly I know) and for the first time in a long time actually opened a book with the intent to try to enjoy it.

And later, this line:

Now anyone that truly knows me knows that I'm infatuated with rain.

Mara shares some of the secrets of The Happiness Project:

People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think.
It's okay to ask for help.
Most decisions don't require extensive research.
Do good, feel good.
It's important to be nice to EVERYONE.
Bring a sweater.

Swimstrong is reading Franny & Zooey:

Anyways, my book is written by J.D. Salinger and I'm kind of in love with his writing. . . . Reading this offensive and obnoxious interactions between a boyfriend and girlfriend caused me to take a step back and look at what type of character I am in relationships. Am I the loud friend who's so concerned with myself that others can't even speak?

On hipsteroku, getting to the end of Columbine:

The book is just now revealing the notes and the motives of the killers. It makes you feel like a detective who's just about to crack the case. I love the mystery it leaves hidden, and the adrenaline rush you get reading about the stories of survivors.

Rachel, on her trip to the Blueberry Festival in Plymouth, Michigan:

It was very cold, and full of mini blueberry doughnut eating people. Oh, and the fireworks were awesome, but they sounded like bombs blowing up countries.

That Peruvian Chick on reading Tony Hoagland:

I love this poem, it reminds me of being in love. I'm in love right now, so this poem really relates to me.

She also has invented a really interesting idea for occasional posts that she calls "Just a sentence, just a thought," in which she drops lines from books whenever she comes across something that stands out for her.

XC Hoosier 3366, on James Franco's Palo Alto:

In Palo Alto, Franco is describing the stories of several different teens, and the stories are kind of shocking to me. I'm surprised at the fact that these kind of things actually happen to teenagers my age.

On j_Parker, some thoughts about reading the experiences of a lapsed Christian who attends a Christian rock festival:

i am christian, therefore i found his opinion a little depressing. iv always been around believers and hearing someone who once was and is struggling is.. different.

On the post, she offers to send this article to anyone who is interested in reading it.

On her blog Running in Circles, Greenie realizes something while reading The Kite Runner:

This book has made it very clear to me exactly how ignorant I am when it comes to Middle Eastern culture. All I know is that Sunni and Shi'a Muslims don't get along. I'm vague as to why, or where this hatred even started. I don't remember ever learning about Afghanistan in world history my freshman year, which either means that it wasn't covered in the curriculum, or that I fell asleep that day.

James Wright, "A Blessing."