From One Book Lover

National Poetry Month may have ended yesterday, but we don't have to. Enjoy this lovely tidbit as part of your weekly poetry treat. Turtle Says On land I'm a mud soldier in a homemade helmet, slowpoking my way along. I'm told I creep like a sleepwlker, and it's true.                No matter. In water, on the other hand, I'm a star, a swooper, a g lider, a leaper, a flyer, a ballet dancer in my green tutu. That's true, too. Enjoy other poems by Constance Levy from her delightful book, Splash ! Poems of Our Watery W orld (with illustrations by David Soman).

Late in his life, Johnny Mercer grew close to Barry Manilow — and asked his widow to give Manilow his unfinished lyrics. Manilow set at least one to music. The result is one of my favorite songs, When October Goes. A number of people have recorded the song, but Manilow's version seems the most haunted. When October Goes And when October goes   The snow begins to fly   Above the smokey roofs   I watch the planes go by The children running home   Beneath a twilight sky   Oh, for the fun of them   When I was one of them   And when October goes   The same old dream appears   And you are in my arms   To share the happy years I turn my head away   To hide the helpless tears   Oh, how I hate   To see October go   And when October goes   The same old dream appears   And you are in my arms   To share the happy years I turn my head away   To hide the helpl...

Letter Home                                                                       --New Orleans, November 1910 Four weeks have passed since I left, and still I must write to you of no work. I've worn down the soles and walked through the tightness of my new shoes calling upon the merchants, their offices bustling. All the while I kept thinking my plain English and good writing would secure for me some modest position Though I dress each day in my best, hands covered with the lace gloves you crocheted--no one needs a girl . How flat the word sounds, and heavy. My purse thins. I spend foolishly to make an appearance of quiet ind...