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from the issue of April 19, 2007
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American Life in Poetry
BY TED KOOSER, U.S. POET LAUREATE, 2004-2006
Naomi Shihab Nye is one of my favorite poets. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, and travels widely, an ambassador for poetry. Here she captures a lovely moment from her childhood.
Supple Cord
My brother, in his small white bed,
held one end.
I tugged the other
to signal I was still awake.
We could have spoken,
could have sung
to one another,
we were in the same room
for five years,
but the soft cord
with its little frayed ends
connected us
in the dark,
gave comfort
even if we had been bickering
all day.
When he fell asleep first
and his end of the cord
dropped to the floor,
I missed him terribly,
though I could hear his even breath
and we had such long
and separate lives
ahead.
Reprinted from "A MAZE ME," Greenwillow, 2005, by permission of the author. Copyright (c) Naomi Shihab Nye, whose most recent book of poetry is "You and Yours," BOA Editions, Ltd., 2005. This weekly column is supported by the UNL Department of English, The Poetry Foundation and The Library of Congress. This column does not accept unsolicited poetry.
GO TO: ISSUE OF APRIL 19
ARTS HEADLINES FOR APRIL 19
Ross lands rare 'Killer of Sheep' showing
American Life in Poetry
Chiara opens statewide tour April 29
Clay Club's spring sale begins April 27
Entries sought for staff art exhibition
'Flora of Nebraska' details state's plants
GLAZING WINSTON
Great Plains gallery hosts artists' public creation of clay sculptures
'Sheldon Connections' to transform museum space into performance/gathering place
732785S37005X
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