Welcome to Litsy!

#poemsbeforephones

Studdard‘s poems are filled with awe, wonder, gratitude, connectedness, & appreciation. Sometimes, her focus on connectedness & appreciation verges on appropriation (e.g. her repeated use of the word “gypsy” in relation to herself). Still, I found it hard to maintain any sense of indignation. Her language is beautiful; her references illuminating. I found myself googling everything from paintings to politics.👇🏻

#poemsbeforephones

#poemsbeforephones check-in, day eight:

The resolution to read poetry first thing in the morning, before touching any technology or social media, remains the one resolution I have not broken. It‘s nice to know that sleep & coffee are more alluring to me than screen-time.

I finished my first poetry collection of the New Year today! 🎉 Review coming soon... after one more quote. 😉 The last poem was a beauty.

I read four poems this morning,
I sneezed one thousand and one sneezes last night.
Now, off to work I go,
as our department is never properly staffed.

Hi, Monday.

#poemsbeforephones

I think this would be beautiful, unconventional text for a funeral reading or on a prayer card. ⚰️🖤

#poemsbeforephones

I only managed two #poemsbeforephones this morning, before I got distracted by how cute my rabbit was being & needed to take a photo. Then, of course, since my phone was in my hand, I mindlessly checked Facebook. 🤦‍♀️ But two poems still counts as fulfilling my resolution!: “Bareback Alchemy” (about riding a horse & recovering from heartbreak), & “The Dream” (about recapturing the magic of childhood).

Planning to read some more while we snuggle.

It‘s been a rough morning for resolutions. I slept in late *and* gave in to the siren‘s song of Starbucks. But poetry prevails! I read five (short) poems before picking up my phone this morning. 🙌🏻

It‘s funny: in high school, I hated Emily Dickinson (I was clearly deluded; I didn‘t like her unconventional use of punctuation & thought, at 14, that I knew better 🙈). Now, this poem speaks to me only because hers does.

#poemsbeforephones (day 4)

#poemsbeforephones check-in, day three:

I read four poems this morning. It wasn‘t my favorite crop... but I found a line I liked quite a bit.

I‘ve been wondering when this collection was published; it feels very 90‘s/early aughts. I keep thinking of Joan Osborne/the scene from “Empire Records” when Deb tells Warren, “I talked to God. She says Yo, wussup?” As it turns out, it was written in 2014! Who knew?

#poemsbeforephones check-in, day two:

I read two poems this morning, continuing with Melissa Studdard‘s collection, “I Ate the Cosmos for Breakfast.” My favorite phrase: “If I climb a tree, I can find the top of myself.”

Confession: I *love* being outside. I *love* nature. I *love* trees... and yet, I have never really climbed a tree. 😵 New goal for 2019: fix that, finally.

Honorable mention: “This desire to butter and eat the stars.”

Happy 1st day of 2019!

One of my reading goals this year is #poemsbeforephones. I plan to read at least one poem each morning (before opening any social media apps). Language, beauty, contemplation, & craft seemed like a better way to start the day than by looking for likes & validation. Though, I do still value pictures of people‘s pets — & all of you. 😉

I read 3 poems this morning. My favorite phrase was, “the skirt swish of a spiral galaxy.”

My mother-in-law & I have developed a tradition wherein we exchange books of poetry. Whoever reads a book first will dog-ear the poems they like best & pass it on. When the second person reads it, we get a deeper insight into the first‘s mind, life, & heart. I‘m looking for a book to gift her for Christmas. This is FINE, right? 😅

(Legit still considering it. 🤷‍♀️😆💖)