My First Poem
Dateline: 4/7/98Before I wrote my first poem I heard my first poem. It was one of those mythical schoolyard rhymes, handed down by who knows how many children. When I recited it recently to a 6-year old friend I realized that it contains many of the elements of a good piece of PerfPo. I've added enough pieces to think it "mine."
--Bob Holman
My First Poem
Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps,
Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bow-legged ants
I stand before you to sit behind you
To tell you something I know nothing about
Next Good Friday on Thursday
There’ll be a Ladies Meeting for Gentlemen Only
Free Admission, pay at the door
Pull up a chair and sit on the floor
Once inside you’ll be outside
And I’ll be standing beside
A round table with four corners
On my left-hand side will be a book entitled,
How Christopher Cucumber Sailed Up
the Mississloppi River, On my right-hand side
will be, The Declaration of Indigestion
I’ll be waving a Star-Spangled Bananner
What was the first poem you ever memorized? What was the first poem you wrote? Post them on our bulletin board & let's talk!
