What the Mirror Said — National Poetry Month

What the Mirror Said

listen,
you a wonder.
you a city
of a woman.
you got a geography
of your own.
listen,
woman,
you not a noplace
anonymous
girl;
mister with his hands on you
he got his hands on
some
damn
body!

by Lucille Clifton
(read by Bill Murray)
courtesy Poets House

Bill Murray and Poetry

No, that's not the punchline, but a great video.

Members of the construction team which built Poets House's new home joined actor Bill Murray in May 2009 for the first poetry reading at 10 River Terrace. If you want to read the whole story, click here.

Here are the poems he read:

Poet’s work

Grandfather   

   advised me:

         Learn a trade

I learned

   to sit at desk

         and condense

No layoff

   from this

         condensery

by Lorine Niedecker

 

I dwell in Possibility-- (#657)

I dwell in Possibility--
A fairer House than Prose--
More numerous of Windows--
Superior--for Doors--

Of Chambers as the Cedars--
Impregnable of Eye--
And for an Everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky--

Of Visitors--the fairest--
For Occupation--This--
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise--  

by Emily Dickinson