Friday, April 29, 2016

What I'm Reading #90

Apropos of my recent post on the Pike Place Market in Seattle, I share this volume of poetry by a northwestern poet and which I purchased at a little bookshop at the Pike Place Market.  Tom Crawford was a new poet to me, and in a freakishly sweet turn of events--this copy was signed by the poet.  The inscription reads "For Tom from Tom, Good Meeting You".  And thus I met Tom via his poems through which he explores a deeper understanding of himself and his place in the world.  Stellar.

Here's a sample:

RAIN

Rain in Chongqing is pretty much
like rain in Portland--
it comes down wet from Heaven
and when it's sudden,
without warning
in both cities people shriek
and scatter.  Newspapers double
for umbrellas,
dirty sidewalks glisten,
a mother runs out
to pull in her little boy.
Flags go up everywhere
in excitement-- "We surrender,
we surrender."


~ Tom Crawford, 1939 -

I feel completely at ease in recommending this poet to one and all.

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