Friday Poem

Poetry
Art and Environment
by Edward Hessler

Derek Walcott

The poetry blog Harriett reports that "we awoke today (March 17, 2017) to discover that poet and playwright Derek Walcott has died." He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992 and seems to have received every other prize and honor one could possibly imagine, including a MacArthur "genius" award in 1981.

The link above includes links to a few of his poems, including the first one ever published in Poetry, Becune Point.

Here you may read Sea Grapes.

Hilton Als once wrote a long profile of Walcott for The New Yorker. A column he wrote on the occasion of his death is worth reading if you'd like to know more by someone who knew him well.

April is National Poetry Month and poems will be flying from all directions. Garrison Keillor (remember him?) wrote a wonderful piece on actually writing a poem no matter how difficult it seems. It is a guide to the writing of a first poem and is a how-to-do-it for men.

The late "Badger Bob" Johnson, was a legendary and much revered college, international, and professional ice hockey coach. He had a great greeting no matter the season: "It's a great day for hockey." With thanks to Coach Johnson, it is fair to say that every day is a great day for poetry.

Coach Johnson was born in Minneapolis, played ice hockey under John Mariucci and was the coach of the University of Wisconsin ice hockey team from 1966 - 1982. He also was the coach of the Pittsburgh Penquins and led them to the 1991.

Finally about Harriet. It honors and is in memory of Harriet Monroe, the founding editor of Poetry Magazine.  You may read more here.