Friday, August 21, 2009

Poetry Friday




Forty years ago was a summer of firsts. It was the year Armstrong walked on the moon. It was, also, the year my dad moved my mom, me, and my brother from suburban Denver to on of the biggest cities in the world, Mexico City. It was a summer of first for me too! I had my first artichoke, pepino (sliced cucumber covered in lime juice and chili powder) from the street vendor, limón paletta (lime popsicles made with lime juice), earthquake (OK my only one!)and my first ride on a subway, El Metro del Cuidad de Mexico. Wow, this boy was hooked. I have never gotten over living in a big city. Our apartment even had an elevator as the front door.

As I thought of what poem to do for Poetry Friday I immediately thought of Subways are People from Lee Bennett Hopkins new book of poetry City I Love. Come on what boy does not love trains, and the metro is subterranean train? When I first read this poem the memories rushed by just as the Mexico City Metro rushes by the Aztec ruins. Enjoy.

SUBWAYS ARE PEOPLE
By Lee Bennett Hopkins

Subways are people-

People standing
People sitting
People swaying to and fro
Some in suits
Some in tatters
People I will never know.

Subways are people-

Some with glasses
Some without
Boy with smile
Girl with Frown

People dashing
Steel flashing
Up and down and round the town.

Subways are people-

People old
People new
People always on the go
Racing, running, rushing people
People I will never know.




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31 comments:

KURIOUS KITTY said...

Kurious Kitty shares a poem from Mary Oliver.

Thanks for hosting, Kyle!

Diane Mayr said...

Robert Frost's "The Tuft of Flowers" is my choice today at
Random Noodling.

Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Love the different descriptions of all the people you can see on the subway.

I have posted a poem for my birthday, Joan Walsh Anglund's "I shall be older than this one day."

Thanks for hosting!

Andromeda Jazmon said...

Thanks for that subway poem. My boys love trains too.

I have some orignial haiku and photos from a day at the park. A Day's Ramble

jama said...

Love your list of "firsts." Especially lime popsicles :). Cool subway poem.

Today I'm sharing "In Flight" by Jennifer K. Sweeney: http://jamarattigan.livejournal.com/316088.html.

Thanks for hosting, Kyle!

Heidi Mordhorst said...

Good morning, all! An untitled haiku haikufrom close to home today.

Nice to meet you, Kyle!

Andrea Murphy said...

In a tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Andy at The Write Sisters shares Joanna Drassinower's "Where Do I Belong?"

Thanks so much for hosting, Kyle!

Julie said...

I'm with Jama - it's those lime popsicles in Mexico City that get me!! Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday.

I have an original poem based on this weeks Poetry Stetch - it's called SOME UMS. You'll find it at The Drift Record

Karen Edmisten said...

Hi, and thanks so much for hosting. I'm in with George Bilgere's "Once Again I Fail to Read an Important Novel." It's here.

Tricia said...

I'm in today with Elegance by Linda Gregg.
http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/2009/08/poetry-friday-elegance.html

Thanks for hosting!

Stenhouse said...

On Yhe Stenhouse Blog, read a poem by a middle-school teacher titled Inside Out. We are still running our Poetry Friday contest - details on the blog!

Author Amok said...

I used to love people-watching on the subway. Thanks for that poem.

I'm sharing a found poem "Littleblack Cat" today at Author Amok. http://authoramok.blogspot.com/2009/08/found-poetry-friday.html

Kelly Polark said...

Love that poem!
I have an original poem today at http://www.kpolark.blogspot.com.

Greg Pincus said...

Speaking of childhood memories... I'm up with a re-issue of my poem called The First Day of School.

Thanks for hosting!

Jone said...

Love your choice of books. I wrote about it earlier in the year. I am in with my final reflection of the haiku book I have been reading all summer.
http://maclibrary.edublogs.org/2009/08/21/poetry-friday-news-and-final-reflection-on-reichholds-book/
Thanks!

Charles Ghigna said...

Thanks, Kyle! In honor of all our back-to-school friends, I've posted "On the Way to School" at
FATHER GOOSE blog

Tiel Aisha Ansari said...

I have an original poem about a Beach House

Sherry said...

NPR is doing a series on how summer songs bring back memories; poems do the same, don't they?

My poem for today is Animal Crackers by Christopher Morley.

MotherReader said...

Sharing song lyrics of "Human" over at MotherReader

http://www.motherreader.com/2009/08/poetry-friday-human-lyrics.html

Thanks for hosting!

Lorie Ann Grover said...

Yay for Lee!

Thanks for hosting this week. At readertotz we have Mommy Calls Me Monkeypants, The Video.

Gavin said...

Kyle - Thank you for hosting. Here is my first Poetry Friday posting, a poem by Vinod Kumar Shukla
One Should See One's Own Home

Lorie Ann Grover said...

And at my blog I have an original haiku, On Point.

Thanks again!

Color Online said...

Sharing an original draft today at Color Online

I've seen this reviewed a few times. Would like to read it. Thanks for the post and hosting.

gautami tripathy said...

Wonderful choice!

Here is something I wrote on my blog:

static of the radio bustles at me

Marjorie said...

Thanks for hosting - you're right about trains! I will share your poem with my two boys tomorrow...

PaperTigers is here with a post about rhyme collection My Village, in honor of our new kitten and puppy...

Sara said...

Had my post up but didn't get to link until just now because I was off taking my son to college---which is why I chose Billy Collins's poem, Workshop, a poem all about the zig-zag path to understanding.

Marjorie said...

Whoops, sorry - forgot to add the link!

http://www.papertigers.org/wordpress/poetry-friday-a-chinese-puppy-and-a-russian-cat-from-my-village/

Color Online said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tiel Aisha Ansari said...

Thought people might enjoy a back-to-school-ish poem: Balloons

Erin said...

Thank you for hosting the roundup! I'm up with an original poem: http://misserinmarie.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-came-home-and-everything-had.html

Lorie Ann Grover said...

Thanks for hosting!

Over at readertotz we have Two Little Dicky Birds.

And at my own blog, On Point, I'm featuring a poetic vlog by Beth Kephart.

Thanks again!