It's the second anniversary of my father's death and I wanted to share a Li-Young Lee poem with you all. Then I realized that I found that poem in these very pages as my dad lay terminally ill. So this is a small "thank you" to this community that I've treasured for years. To those of you out there posting your favorite poems and opening up new ( Read more... )

Like most of us, I can't remember how ( Read more... )

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for any poems about growing up as an Asian-American, hopefully with a mention of time and cities.

As thanks, here's one of my favorite poems by a Chinese-American poet--

( Persimmons )

I attended his poetry reading earlier today and I have to say he was pretty impressive:

Early in the Morning

While the long grain is softening
in the water, gurgling
over a low stove flame, before
the salted Winter Vegetable is sliced
for breakfast, before the birds,
my mother glides an ivory comb
through her hair, heavy
and black as calligrapher's ( Read more... )

Could anyone suggest a poem that might be appropriate for a Blessingway (a ceremony for a mother before her second child)?

And a poem for you guys:

The Problem of Describing Trees, by Robert HassThe aspen glitters in the wind ( Read more... )

I'm looking for an entire poem, but I've only been able to find a few lines. The poem is by Helen Humphreys, and it's called "For Jackie, Who Will Never Read This." Her book is called Anthem. The lines I found by googling are ( Read more... )

You've stopped whispering ( Read more... )

In sixth grade Mrs. Walker
slapped the back of my head
and made me stand in the corner
for not knowing the difference
between persimmon and precisionHow to choose ( Read more... )

Blossoms ( Read more... )

When I lay my head in my mother's lap
I think how day hides the stars,
the way I lay hidden once, waiting
inside my mother's singing to herself. And I remember
how she carried me on her back
between home and the kindergarten,
once each morning and once each afternoon.

I don't know what my mother's thinking.

When my son lays his head in my lap, I wonder:
Do ( Read more... )