A Poem a Day. Why not try it?

I was just browsing the website of Osondu Booksellers in Waynesville, one of my favorite Indie Bookstores, second only to City Lights Books in Sylva, owned and run by my good friend Joyce Moore, and found the results of this poll, asking which book group would you be most interested in joining.

Mystery---7.36.8%
Local History---7 .36.8%
Poetry---5 .26.3%

Well, it's true only 19 people responded, and even 5 percent wanting a poetry book group is encouraging. But the next poll asked which book genre would you like to see Osondu's expanding and poetry was not even on the list! It's time for that to change. Because, in case you haven't heard, "change" is the word these days.

So, here is my suggestion during this wintry weather, and beyond: Go ask your bookseller or a friend who reads and/or writes poems to recommend a good book of poetry, and every afternoon when the holiday stress is getting to you, sit down with a cup of tea, or a glass of wine, and read one poem from that book.

Just one.

That's all you have to do. Read it slowly as you sip your beverage, take deep breaths as Dr. Weil urges us to do, and simply let the language steep in your mind as your tea has steeped in the hot water.

I know, I know, we all love to get hooked by so-called "page-turners." Oh, I couldn't wait to find out who did this or said that! Well, poetry asks you to wait. And this time of year, we'd all feel calmer if we slowed down and read just one poem slowly and gratefully. As for the tea--right now I'm sipping Afternoon Darjeeling, with milk and just a tad of brown sugar. It's delicious. The poem that's waiting for me? Maybe one by several of my favorite poets---Nancy Simpson, Cecilia Woloch, William Wordsworth, Bill Brown, Seamus Heaney, doris davenport, and on into poetic infinity.

I'll join you there. We'll share a cup of tea and a book of poetry together.

Osondu Booksellers

(Cheri Jones and K. Byer)

Osondu Booksellers presents “Women in Reflection,” an afternoon of readings by Nan Watkins (“East toward Dawn”) at 1:30, Cheri Jones (“Chains”) at 2, Joyce Sheldon (“From Fear to Faith, Seekers & Dreamers”) at 2:30, and N.C. Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer at 3 at 184 N. Main St., Waynesville. (828-456-8062.)

Thus the news release in the local papers ran. Such few words can't contain the reality of that afternoon, however. When real, living, breathing writers and their readers come together over quiche, tea, and brownies, something magical happens. And when those writers and readers push back their plates and begin to communicate with each other, something life-sustaining happens. How could those who love words exist without these moments and without people like Margaret Osondu who, against daunting odds, keep independent bookstores alive?

The quiche was good but the talk was better! Thank you, Margaret, and thanks to all the Indie bookstores out there doing their best to keep literacy and the love of reading alive in this country.