Friday, July 05, 2013

Poetry Friday: Good Night

Good Night

    Many ways to say good night.
    Fireworks at a pier on the Fourth of July
    spell it with red wheels and yellow spokes.
    They fizz in the air, touch the water and quit.
    Rockets make a trajectory of gold-and-blue
    and then go out.
    Railroad trains at night spell with a smokestack mushrooming a white pillar.
    Steamboats turn a curve in the Mississippi crying a baritone that crosses lowland cottonfields to razorback hill.
    It is easy to spell good night.
                            Many ways to spell good night. 
     
    Carl Sandburg
This poem was featured this week on YourDailyPoem.com.  It seemed appropriate for these relaxed, lazy summer days and nights here in the US.  It is wonderful to have a slower pace, no early morning meetings, and time with family and friends.  Even though our Fourth of July plans were rained out, I love this atmospheric, quintessentially American poem.  Hope you're enjoying your summer!  

Here's today's Poetry Friday roundup. 

10 comments:

Linda B said...

I saw this, Ruth. Sandburg has so many apt poems for us, doesn't he? It is a lazy time and I love rising a little later, not running out to work. Thanks!

Keri said...

I love this poem, and I'm so glad you shared it. I saw a barge this morning, headed to the Mississippi -- not nearly as picturesque as a steamboat, but impressive all the same.

Margaret Simon said...

Love the many ways to say/spell goodnight. Thanks for sharing.
I love watching barges on the bayou, Keri.

Tara @ A Teaching Life said...

Perfect...lazy July nights, indeed!

Mary Lee said...

Those fireworks spell LOTS besides just goodnight! The ones I saw spelled joy, independence, excitement, and SUMMER!

Diane Mayr said...

I've never appreciated Sandburg until recently--this poem is a keeper!

Carol said...

This is a perfect July poem. Love all these different ways to say good night. Now that you mention YDP I realize I haven't gotten it for about a week. Hmmm.

Violet N. said...

"They fizz in the air"

How true.

Your poem reminds me to dust off my book of Sandburg and see what other gems are in it.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

I'm not a teacher, but this poem seems to me like a great kick-off exercise for a classroom. What are some other ways to say good night, or good morning, or whatever. I might try that exercise myself, in fact!

Liz Steinglass said...

Wonderful. Thanks for sharing it. I too love the slower pace of summer.