Day 8: A reminder from Wordsworth | Day 9: Advice to Writers by Billy Collins | Day 10: Tennyson for spring | Day 11: How I Go to the Woods by Mary Oliver | Day 12: Mela by Barry Spacks | Day 13: Fog by Carl Sandburg | Day 14: This Morning I Could Do A Thousand Things by Robert Hedin
Photo by Max Flatow
I love this quote because it reminds me that approaching familiar streets with fresh eyes can reveal their beauty and charm, even if you've lived nearby your entire life. It's especially fitting for today's addition to Literary City Guides, because tour guide Sylvie Morgan Brown is a Brooklyn native who knows Carroll Gardens like the back of her hand. Also, anyone who recommends an Italian restaurant that serves fluffy, fried chickpea fritters smeared with ricotta is trustworthy in my book!
In a city as large as New York, neighborhood tours make a big, overwhelming metropolis feel more accessible and familiar. Our first was Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and today Carroll Gardens debuts. (Basically, you need to be exploring Brooklyn if you aren't already.)
Carroll Gardens has all the trappings of an idyllic neighborhood, like an old-fashioned soda shop where the wait-staff wears paper hats, tree-lined streets, and and several bookstores to get lost in, so stop by to welcome our latest edition to Literary City Guides!
I tend to think of April as the month that belongs to me. It's the month that my husband and I celebrate our anniversary, for one thing. It's also National Poetry Month, so being that I write a blog devoted to the craft, spring comes bellowing out of the sky with a loud knock at my door. Every year, I'd like to answer with a resounding cry. I'll blog every day in April! I'll do book reviews! I'll write long, thought-provoking essays on why poetry matters. I'll do even more poetry and recipe pairings! I'll read more!
In truth, I didn't have anything planned this year, but when I was wandering the shelves at the library during my lunch break on April 1st, I decided to post a poem I found on Instagram. Then, I decided to post another one on April 2nd, and April 3rd. You get the idea.
So to celebrate National Poetry Month, I'm posting a poem a day on Instagram and Facebook. If you're so inclined, upload your own favorite poems on Instagram and hashtag #eatthispoem so I can repin!
I'm also aiming to publish a recap here on the blog, so you can find the weekly offerings all in one place. I hope you enjoy the selections from Week 1.
Day 1: "Spring" by Charles Simic | Day 2: "Two Rains" by Jane Hirshfield | Day 3: "Getting it Right" by Jack Gilbert | Day 4: "Waking at Night" by Jack Gilbert | Day 5: "Travel" by Edna St. Vincent Millay | Day 6: "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman | Day 7: "Sight" by W.S. Merwin