Jim Thompson’s Spiritual Poetry Class #27

Dear Hopers for a Great Sea-Change:

The coming week will be something to be alive for. Per Mark Strand (whose bounding poem, “Eating Poetry” was on last week’s docket): “…it’s such a lucky accident, having been born, that we’re almost obliged to pay attention.”

Here are the poems for this week:

• “A Ritual to Read to Each Other” by William Stafford. I love the image: “…elephants parade holding each elephant’s tale…” Isn’t that a great metaphor for how we also can get through life’s travails?
• “The Cure at Troy” (excerpt from the play) by Seamus Heaney. Many people have heard the most famous line quoted by former President Obama and quite often by current presidential candidate Joe Biden: “But then, once in a lifetime / The longed-for tidal wave / Of justice can rise up, / And hope and history rhyme.”

• “The Night Game” by Robert Pinsky. This is in honor of the Brooklyn-LA Dodgers and their world series victory last week. I love that perhaps the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball is only referred to and never named. Nonetheless, any true blue Dodger fan will know who the poet is talking about. (Did I ever mention that I spent much of my childhood in Colfax, North Dakota?)

Can’t wait to see some of you the day after the voting ends and share some ritual-reading with you.

+ + Jim

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