Ted Kooser, U. S. Poet Laureate 2004-2006, keeps us updated in the best poetry that he deems representative of “American Life.”
Kooser most recent column features Frank Steele’s “Part of a Legacy.”
Here is what Kooser has to say in his introductory comment about Steele’s poem: “Putting bed pillows onto the grass to freshen, it's a pretty humble subject for a poem, but look how Kentucky poet, Frank Steele, deftly uses a sun-warmed pillow to bring back the comfort and security of childhood.”
And here is a teaser from the poem:
I take pillows outdoors to sun them
as my mother did. "Keeps bedding fresh,"
she said. It was April then, too—
buttercups fluffing their frail sails,
one striped bee humming grudges, a crinkle
To finish reading the poem, please visit Column 158 at American Life in Poetry.
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