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Stephanie bought me a copy of US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser’s collection Delights & Shadows last night. When I got home, I sat down to read some of it. Usually when I read poetry I chew through a good amount of it. This time, however, I was absolutely floored by the first poem in the book. It was perfect. In just a few short lines it said so many important things about age and childhood and wonder. I had to stop reading right there and just appreciate what a great poem it is. Thank you, Stephanie. I have a feeling that I’m going to love this collection.

Walking on Tiptoe Long ago we quit lifting our heels like the others — horse, dog, and tiger — though we thrill to their speed as they flee. Even the mouse bearing the great weight of a nugget of dog food is enviably graceful. There is little spring to our walk, we are so burdened with responsibility, all of the disciplinary actions that have fallen to us, the punishments, the killings, and all with our feet bound stiff in the skins of the conquered. But sometimes, in the early hours, we can feel what it must have been like to be one of them, up on our toes, stealing past doors where others are sleeping, and suddenly able to see in the dark.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 7th, 2005 at 5:55 pm and is filed under Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.