I had the honor of performing among a group of super talented fellow poets in Benicia, CA for “Why Poetry?” and Fairfield, CA for “Why Poetry Matters” for National Poetry Month to support two good causes: The Joel Fallon Poetry Scholarship and Solano County Library Foundation Literacy Programs.
The poem “Libraries Ignite Universes” was written for the Solano County Library system and was originally published on their Facebook page earlier this month, and is in my new book Resting on My Laurels. The poem Why Poetry Matters I wrote for the Fairfield event. I read both of these in Benicia, and then again in Fairfield as part of a larger set on the theme of libraries, which also included reciting “Poetic Timing” and reading “What is a Poet?” from Poet Loiterer, “Unbound” and “What A Gift You Have Given Me!” which also appear in Resting on my Laurels.
Why Poetry Matters by D.L. Lang
Poetry, that ineffable waterfall of words,
thoughts dripping from minds to pages,
from daydreams to stages.
So quickly its prophets
are often condemned as unprofitable,
so what value is there to poetry
if monetization is not the metric of measure
that defines this sacred treasure?
It, like most art,
can reach directly into hearts.
It can repair them.
It can break them.
It can change them.
It can shatter the divisions
between peoples,
reaching across boundaries,
sprouting shared experience,
educating others about each other.
It can give voice to the voiceless,
comfort the hurting,
uplift the despondent,
and accompany the lonely.
It is a cornerstone of other art forms,
transforming itself into song lyrics,
treasured quotes of wisdom,
spoken word and comedy performance,
film and commercial narration,
and bite size bits of prayer and meditation.
It can make you cry tears of catharsis,
it can make you laugh until you cry,
it can change your life with an idea,
it can change the world,
if we only try.
Libraries Ignite Universes by D.L. Lang
The library, she is a magic place!
Towering from floor to ceiling
stands all the wisdom in the universe,
collected for centuries,
freely available,
ready for curious minds
to immerse themselves
in the endless knowledge
that graces her shelves.
Escape into her peaceful sanctuary,
wherein her quiet, yourself, you’ll find,
as you unite with the finest minds.
Each page sparks journeys anew
with every volume hoping to inspire
imaginations of all persuasions,
as each new generation
of readers, teachers, and writers,
seekers, lovers, scholars, and fighters,
shall one day build upon
the sacred foundation
of her treasures
with contributions of their own,
extending far beyond these walls,
opening up a world just as magical,
igniting possibility.
