Day three – Hump day!
Carrying on with yesterdays theme of death, a third poem that I can’t stop thinking about is Billy Collin’s No Time.
The first time I read a Billy Collins poem, I knew I had to have more. I finished reading all the online poems available and then started ordering his books, one by one. I now have a (I think) pretty kickass collection of his poetry books and I lend them out to my friends every chance I get – have to share the love some how.
The way that this poem changed my life is a personal and anecdotal one. One time when I was reading a book of Billy Collins poetry, my Father asked the age old question of ‘what are you reading?’ My answer to his question was to flip back through the pages and read him No Time. Like this poem it was a moment I will remember, at the last word we were both silent, it was after about five seconds of us just sharing a look, my Father uttered a single, ‘hunh,’ and walked away.
That’s what I love about this poem, the ‘hunh’ moment. It’s nice, it’s simple, and it leaves you thinking about that small moment. Once again, I don’t understand why this poem has stayed with me or had such a profound, all I know is that when I think about Billy Collins, I think of this poem.
Have you ever read a poem or novel that has just made you stop and think, ‘hunh?’ It could have been a poignant moment, a surprise reveal, or even a small phrase that has just struck you. If you’ve ever had a moment like this – let me know!
I really enjoyed the Billy Collins poems that I’ve read, but, I think for me, I had more ‘humf’ moments reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. That book had me so angry, confused, confronted and some of the poems, I just sat there staring at the book, going I hadn’t thought of it like that.
This was one such poem:
“I want to apologise to all the women
I have called pretty
before I’ve called them intelligent or brave
I am sorry I made it sound as though
something as simple as what you’re born with
is the most you have to be proud of when your
spirit has crushed mountains
from now on I will say things like
YOU ARE RESILIENT or YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY
not because I don’t think you’re pretty
but because you are so much more than that.”
and this one, also by Rupi Kaur:
“We are all born
so beautiful
The greatest tragedy is
being convinced we are not.”
and lastly this one by Rupi too:
“what terrifies me most is how we
foam at the mouth with envy
when others succeed
but sigh in relief
when they are failing
Our struggle to
celebrate each other is
what’s proven most difficult
in being human.”
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Oh I remember being struck by the first and last ones of those! It’s so true, I felt bad for focusing on beauty rather than everything else that people can actually control. And the last one, really hits me cus I sometimes find myself doing that and having to stop myself cus its not fair to anyone.
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