An Embarrassment of Riches

Read it Yourself Poetry - by Helen and Alison Does anyone read poetry anymore? If I find a piece of poetry under my nose, I'm likely to read it. If I'm sitting on the bus, I will read it. If there's a poem in the newspaper, I'll read it. If it's stuck up on someone's cubicle wall, I will definitely read it. But I don't keep up with the latest in the poetry world.
I think part of the problem is that many poems are really meant to be read aloud, rather than being left to bounce around in the confines of our skulls. Hip hop artists and poets who perform in poetry slams have it right - to really appreciate the cadence, to savor the words, you have to hear it aloud. So in honor of National Poetry Month, here is our modest rendition of  "Book Lice" from Paul Fleischman's Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. Do try this at home, or borrow the audio book and let someone read to you. (Listen to the podcast here. For more podcasts from the library visit http://multcolib.libsyn.com/)