Pressing Pause for Poetry: Nancyrose Houston

Featured on American Life in Poetry, a project by Ted Kooser (the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004-2006), I think that this poem by Nancyrose Houston is a beautifully-written record of American life.  There is both a sense of simplicity and complexity in her words, and when I read it I was immedietely struck by an overwhelming feeling of complete understanding; although it lists so many different aspects of daily life, it captures the beauty in the mundane and a bit of the small sense of wonder that can be found in daily activities (at the end of the poem). The last sentence is also perfect for spring :)


Enjoy!

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The Letter From Home

The dogs barked, the dogs scratched, the dogs got wet, the dogs shook, the dogs circled, the dogs slept, the dogs ate, the dogs barked; the rain fell down, the leaves fell down, the eggs fell down and cracked on the floor; the dust settled,   the wood floors were scratched, the cabinets sat without doors, the trim without paint, the stuff piled up; I loaded the dishwasher, I unloaded the dishwasher, I raked the leaves, I did the laundry, I took out the garbage, I took out the recycling, I took out the yard waste.  There was a bed, it was soft, there was a blanket, it was warm, there were dreams, they were good. The corn grew, the eggplant grew, the tomatoes grew, the lettuce grew, the strawberries grew, the blackberries grew; the tea kettle screamed, the computer keys clicked, the radio roared, the TV spoke. “Will they ever come home?” “Can’t I take a break?” “How do others keep their house clean?” “Will I remember this day in fifty years?” The sweet tea slipped down my throat, the brownies melted in my mouth. My mother cooked, the apple tree bloomed, the lilac bloomed, the mimosa bloomed, I bloomed.


Enjoy your Saturday! And even if you are filling your day with the mundane--chores, errands, and cleaning--take some time to bloom :)

Namaste!
Mary Catherine