Poetry

I found this poem on Bentlily. It's this pretty great website where you get a poem a day, you can create your own poem by filling in a Mad Libs-type questionnaire and you can even submit your own poetry to be a guest poet.

I think I forgot about poetry after high school...

But I found this poem tonight and... it's cute. And true. Who doesn't get excited to pick up mail? That there may be something fun there? Something hand-written, god forbid.

I remember in middle school, when our English teacher arranged for us to have penpals with other students across the country. What incredible excitement for a sixth grader! Maybe I liked school a little too much... (nerd alert!)

Just writing back and forth... on lined notebook paper. With a mechanical pencil. And maybe some stickers to put on the paper. You have to add a wallet school pic so she knows who she's dealing with. Unfortunately, the school photo: not my finest moment. But, my Mom always had extras, so...

Anyways -- here's the poem:

The Curious Appeal of Futile Anticipation

I don’t know when I will stop
expecting a letter
instead of all these bills
and flyers for pizza and men
who wash windows in kilts

there is no one in particular
I think might be writing me

but I cannot help
the hopefulness

the unreasonable optimism
that the clang of the mailbox
means somebody held me in the nest
of their thoughts

so old-fashioned
like milk in glass bottles
like handkerchiefs

one day I will try to explain to my son
the appeal of anticipation
in an instant world

that there is sweetness
in the wait.