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kjones31's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This collection was more hit-or-miss for me than [b:Good Poems|39692|Good Poems|Garrison Keillor|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388247050s/39692.jpg|39396], but still a pleasure to read.
A few favorite excerpts:
"Do you suppose our country would have been settled
If the pioneers had worried about being lonely?"
- Carl Dennis, "Invitation"
"Joys impregnate. Sorrows bring forth.
What is now proved was once only imagined.
The rat, the mouse, the fox, the rabbit, watch the roots. The lion,
the tiger, the horse, the elephant, watch the fruits.
The cistern contains; the fountain overflows.
One thought fills immensity.
Think in the morning; act in the noon; eat in the evening;
sleep in the night.
You never know what is enough unless you know
what is more than enough."
- From William Blake, "Proverbs of Hell"
And a few favorite full poems:
The Benefits of Ignorance
Hal Sirowitz
If ignorance is bliss, Father said,
shouldn't you be looking blissful?
You should check to see if you have
the right kind of ignorance. If you're
not getting the benefits that most people
get from acting stupid, then you should
go back to what you always were—
being too smart for your own good.
The Rules of Evidence
Lee Robinson
What you want to say most
is inadmissible.
Say it anyway.
Say it again.
What they tell you is irrelevant
can't be denied and will
eventually be heard.
Every question
is a leading question.
Ask it anyway, then expect
what you won't get.
There is no such thing
as the original
so you'll have to make do
with a reasonable facsimile.
The history of the world
is hearsay. Hear it.
The whole truth
is unspeakable
and nothing but the truth
is a lie.
I swear this.
My oath is a kiss.
I swear
by everything
incredible.
My Cup
Robert Friend
They tell me I am going to die.
Why don't I seem to care?
My cup is full. Let it spill.
The Love Cook
Ron Padgett
Let me cook you some dinner.
Sit down and take off your shoes
and socks and in fact the rest
of your clothes, have a daiquiri,
turn on some music and dance
around the house, inside and out,
it's night and the neighbors
are sleeping, those dolts, and
the stars are shining bright,
and I've got the burners lit
for you, you hungry thing.
In Praise of My Bed
Meredith Holmes
At last I can be with you!
The grinding hours
since I left your side!
The labor of being fully human,
working my opposable thumb,
talking, and walking upright.
Now I have unclasped
unzipped, and stepped out of.
Husked, soft, a be-er only,
I do nothing, but point
my bare feet into your
clean smoothness
feel your quiet strength
the whole length of my body.
I close my eyes, hear myself
moan, so grateful to be held this way.
A few favorite excerpts:
"Do you suppose our country would have been settled
If the pioneers had worried about being lonely?"
- Carl Dennis, "Invitation"
"Joys impregnate. Sorrows bring forth.
What is now proved was once only imagined.
The rat, the mouse, the fox, the rabbit, watch the roots. The lion,
the tiger, the horse, the elephant, watch the fruits.
The cistern contains; the fountain overflows.
One thought fills immensity.
Think in the morning; act in the noon; eat in the evening;
sleep in the night.
You never know what is enough unless you know
what is more than enough."
- From William Blake, "Proverbs of Hell"
And a few favorite full poems:
The Benefits of Ignorance
Hal Sirowitz
If ignorance is bliss, Father said,
shouldn't you be looking blissful?
You should check to see if you have
the right kind of ignorance. If you're
not getting the benefits that most people
get from acting stupid, then you should
go back to what you always were—
being too smart for your own good.
The Rules of Evidence
Lee Robinson
What you want to say most
is inadmissible.
Say it anyway.
Say it again.
What they tell you is irrelevant
can't be denied and will
eventually be heard.
Every question
is a leading question.
Ask it anyway, then expect
what you won't get.
There is no such thing
as the original
so you'll have to make do
with a reasonable facsimile.
The history of the world
is hearsay. Hear it.
The whole truth
is unspeakable
and nothing but the truth
is a lie.
I swear this.
My oath is a kiss.
I swear
by everything
incredible.
My Cup
Robert Friend
They tell me I am going to die.
Why don't I seem to care?
My cup is full. Let it spill.
The Love Cook
Ron Padgett
Let me cook you some dinner.
Sit down and take off your shoes
and socks and in fact the rest
of your clothes, have a daiquiri,
turn on some music and dance
around the house, inside and out,
it's night and the neighbors
are sleeping, those dolts, and
the stars are shining bright,
and I've got the burners lit
for you, you hungry thing.
In Praise of My Bed
Meredith Holmes
At last I can be with you!
The grinding hours
since I left your side!
The labor of being fully human,
working my opposable thumb,
talking, and walking upright.
Now I have unclasped
unzipped, and stepped out of.
Husked, soft, a be-er only,
I do nothing, but point
my bare feet into your
clean smoothness
feel your quiet strength
the whole length of my body.
I close my eyes, hear myself
moan, so grateful to be held this way.
mamasquirrel's review against another edition
4.0
A good collection of poetry, but with some overlap with Keillor's other poetry anthology, and the other one is better, in my opinion.
ladywren890's review against another edition
4.0
I am not a big poetry person so I can't accurately rate this but there was a good variety of themes and styles from what i could tell
miraclemarg's review
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
5.0
mariefleurie's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
cjazzlee's review against another edition
5.0
Loved the first collection, Good Poems. Garrison Keillor has such good taste in his selection of poems from his show/blog. I read a poem a day, food for thought and usually for tranquillity at the end of the day.
Took me a while to finish - one poem at a time, but as usual, I knew they would be good slow food for thought poems.
Took me a while to finish - one poem at a time, but as usual, I knew they would be good slow food for thought poems.
antlersantlers's review
5.0
This is a really stellar selection of poems. They are all so different, and cover such a huge range of topics, styles, and time, but they fit together so beautifully. I think I might buy a copy for myself.