This has been a year of stress--apparently so much that my blood pressure has gone up. Never had that before. Oh, well. One things that I always try to do when things get a little crazy is to take the advice of one of my favorite Transcendentalists, Henry David Thoreau: "Simplify! Simplify! Simplify! (See also Walden.)
Under that vein, I was delighted to read Billy Collins's new collection of short poems Table Music. And that is where I discovered my #PocketPoem for this year:
She made asterisks
next to passages she liked,
little stars that kept shining
after she closed the book.
If you want to celebrate the small things in life, please do. Share here. Share with real people. Share everywhere. (It gets really interesting when you share with strangers in public places.) Here's how to play:
1. Find a copy of your favorite poem...or one that tickles you fancy today...or one that actually fits in your pocket. Finding in on your phone is okay, but it's always more human if you have transcribed it yourself and fold it up and put it in your pocket.
2. Carry your chosen poem around all day, and share it with people. Don't forget to share with me!
3. Soak in the awesomeness that is poetry!
4. Check my Instagram (@joeaveragewriter), Twitter (@joeavgwriter), or Facebook for the video of this year's poem!
If you want even more fun, check out the poem in your pocket label on the right-hand side of this blog. Who knows? You might find something else of worth.
