What is a Body Worth?
Holocaust Museum: millions die
Faceless sculptures
Piles of gray shoes
A wall of hair
What is a body worth?
Facebook reports: two suicides
Someone’s daughter
Someone’s friend
Someone we lost for losing
What is a body worth?
On all the news: John McCain
An American hero,
Warrior, senator,
One life forged for many.
What is a body worth?
National Book Festival: one father
reads my poem
to his infant son.
My heart beats stronger.
My body stands taller.
Such a small thing can
make a life worthy.
© 2018 Margaret Simon. All rights reserved.
For more about Margaret's experience at the National Book Festival, visit this blog post.
Click HERE to read this month's interview with Naomi Shihab Nye. Her DMC challenge is to write a letter to yourself in which you ask some questions that you don't have to answer. (Please keep in mind that your poem does not need to be in standard letter form.)
Post your poem on our September 2018 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation on Friday, September 28th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her latest collection of poetry from Greenwillow Books:
Congrats to you on having your poems published and read, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteThoughtful poem. And congratulations again on your book, Margaret!
ReplyDeleteThere's a song by an Australian folk singer named Paul Kelly called "From Little Things, Big Things Grow." It pops up in my mind from time to time, in various contexts, and this is one of those times, Margaret. I know your book will continue to spread love and joy as it's reach grows.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, Thanks for posting my poem today. Such a hard thing to write about, death, and especially when the reports seem to grow in number and sober the heart. Being touched by a small moment makes a life worthwhile. Thanks again!
DeleteThose who pay attention to the bodies lost & write from the heart as you do, Margaret, deserve big thanks. Spreading love is a great thing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and thought-provoking, Margaret!
ReplyDeleteWow. This beautiful poem packs quite a punch.
ReplyDeleteLovely....AND with a punch. The power of poetry is vast. Well done.
ReplyDelete"What is a body worth?" a voice to be heard, thanks for your poem and your voice Margaret!
ReplyDeleteThis is a powerful poem with a great set of questions to reflect upon. Thanks Margaret for composing this poem and Michelle for showcasing it.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thank you, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteI feel humbled.
Cory