Poem in Your Pocket: 7 Poems & Their Reverberations
The Academy of American Poets launched National Poetry Month in April 1996. The goal of National Poetry Month is to remind all that in a world awash in text, poetry matters. Every April since, poetry readers and nonreaders alike can’t help but notice poetry cropping up amongst the blooms of spring—poems suddenly adorning sandwich boards and subway cars, Instagram feeds, drivetime radio and especially in local library displays. This year, Off the Shelf invited four lovers of poetry to contribute a post for a Poem in Your Pocket series to gift our readers a new poem for every day of the week.…
Poem in Your Pocket: 7 Stages of Grief
Adeeba, NLS, NLS
The Academy of American Poets launched National Poetry Month in April 1996. The goal of National Poetry Month is to remind all that in a world awash in text, poetry matters. Every April since, poetry readers and nonreaders alike can’t help but notice poetry cropping up amongst the blooms of spring—poems suddenly adorning sandwich boards and subway cars, Instagram feeds, drivetime radio and especially in local library displays. This year, Off the Shelf invited four lovers of poetry to contribute a post for a Poem in Your Pocket series to gift our readers a new poem for every day of the week.…
More Poetry by CJ Case
Play time As the cake rises The pan get overflowed and burst Spitting up thousands of pieces of candy “Aren’t I pretty?” “I was molded into the form you wanted. With the correct ingredients The proper instructions I’ve changed. Aren’t I pretty?” We live in a world where the superficial is the norm Where altering our bodies grants us praise Ever so stretching the distance from our past self Almost to the point where that black figure in the mirror becomes unrecognizable But aren’t I pretty? I’ve become what…
Featured Poem: YOU by Mehrin Faisal
Featured Poem: YOU by Mehrin Faisal YOU I’ve seen you with the corner of my eyes, I’ve gotten to know you by the way you socialize, I’ve asked God for your replies, When I’ve prayed with my eyes set on the skies. I’ve seen the beauty of your eyes, I’ve seen the way it captures lies, I’ve seen the way your heart aches, When our love song belies. I’ve communicated with you through my eyes, I’ve seen the way they verbalize, I’ve vocalized my thoughts through my eyes, When I’ve thought you’d apprize. I’ve seen the pain in your eyes, I’ve seen the way…
Haters
People tell you, you are too dark like an ink, People tell you, you are extremely unattractive like villains, People tell you, you are really unsmart like SpongeBob, People tell you, you are too short like an elf, People tell you, you are too tall like a giraffe People tell you, you are too skinny like a dry fish, People tell you, you are too fat like an elephant, But…. You should tell them, NOBODY IS PERFECT, Everyone has something they are concerned about, Whether it’s their appearance or their characteristics, Nobody is perfect, This is…
What We're Reading: BPL Staff Edition
As librarians, we’re used to turning to books for comfort and escape. One of the topics of discussion that has come up for us has been how our reading habits have changed as our world has changed. Many of us are turning to new genres (hello fantasy and romance!). Some of us are finding that it’s harder to focus and we’re reading less, while some of us are finding that we’re reading a lot more as we just want a way to escape 2020. Either way, here’s a roundup of some of the books that BPL librarians and staff have been reading recently. Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky The story got a…