Day 15 – 30 Days, 30 Readings: “Stone,” by Charles Simic

Sling-back Sunday maybe? On this day in 2012:

This is another from what’s sort of loosely becoming a best-of collection from my month of poetry recordings six years ago. Each poem was recorded, uploaded to YouTube, and blogged about in the course of a day. So, there are plenty that were fine but can stay in the archives where they are.

This is one that just kind of came together, one of the few I memorize and “performed.” Looking back, my interpretations might have come out different, but I am pleased when it feels like I was present when a little magic happened.

David J. Bauman's avatarDavid J Bauman

Photo by Michelle Blankenship

Well, I finally got a bit of  outside reading done, though I had to try several takes from multiple spots, due to background noise.  I abandoned one reading done from the balcony of a local restaurant, simply because I didn’t like the inflections of my voice. While listening in the car afterward I decided that I hadn’t read the poem right. So I’ll save May Swenson for another day.

In the end, I came back to this poem, by Charles Simic, which I had memorized last week. I frankly am no good at memorizing my own poems. Why? Possibly because they go through so many drafts and re-writes and fits of editing that I am never sure which is the version I most recently decided was the best. With the poems of others I only know one version, and so it’s easier. Therefore, I try meticulously…

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3 responses to “Day 15 – 30 Days, 30 Readings: “Stone,” by Charles Simic”

  1. Brian Dean Powers Avatar
    Brian Dean Powers

    The second stanza reminded me of the way Lao-Tze illustrates the notion of the Tao. Usually with references to water. The stone in this poem could slip right into a passage from the Tao Te Ching, even though that text was written over 2000 years ago.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Crazy that just a half hour ago I was reading about translations from the Tao Te Ching?

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Brian Dean Powers Avatar
      Brian Dean Powers

      There are so many, and every one is so different.

      Liked by 1 person

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