YELLOW SONNET: In Honor of Paul Janeczko

 



Many of you may already know that the poet and anthologist Paul B. Janeczko passed away earlier this week. He was a friend and an inspiration to me. I have dozens of his books. I have selected a poem to post in his honor today. It's from his book The Place My Words Are Looking For--which is one of my favorite poetry books.

Paul Zimmer wrote Yellow Sonnet after the death if his beloved mother. He said that writing the poem gave him an opportunity "to present a loving tribute" to his mother. I'm presenting the poem as a loving tribute to Paul Janeczko--who introduced me to many of America's finest children's, young adult, and adult poets.

YELLOW SONNET

By Paul Zimmer

Zimmer no longer wishes to write
About the dimming of his lights,
Recounting all his small terrors.
Instead he tells of brilliance,
Walking home from first grade
In springtime, light descending
To hold itself and dazzle him
In an outburst of dandelions...

Click here to read the rest of the poem and Paul Zimmer's explanation for why he wrote this lovely poem as a "love gift" to his mother. He tells readers that he felt "dismal" after her passing and wrote some sad poems. He said that he had many "warm and bright memories of her"--and "wanted to make a warm and bright poem in her memory."



 

 

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Robyn has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Life on the Deckle Edge.