Sunday Stamps #66

Our theme this week: It's National Poetry month (at least for the USA). Let's search out stamps of poets or stamps that show quotes from poems or something related to poetry. Interpret this broadly.

I'll admit I don't have the following stamps at hand but I am going to purchase them soon!
A new issue from the US Postal Service:

10 well known US poets from the twentieth century, including one of my favorites, Wallace Stevens.  I'll bet there are already arguments in academic circles about these choices.  I understand why Ezra Pound isn't here - but no Robert Frost (too popular?) no Marianne Moore?  [Edited to add: if I knew my stamp issues better, I would know that these two have already been on US stamps!!! Oops!] Anyhow it's great they are on stamps and maybe it will raise awareness of these poets and poetry in general.

One of my favorite poems by Wallace Stevens is The Snow Man, which I was going to quote here, but it might still be covered by copyright, so I will send you to a link at Poemhunter.  Read it slowly.  Interesting note: Stevens was an insurance company executive in Hartford CT, home of insurance companies, for much of his life.

Next week:  No theme in particular, just post whatever you would like.

Viridian

PS. You can follow me on Facebook if you wish at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948

Sunday Stamps #17

We'll close out National Poetry Month (USA anyway) with stamps honoring poetry and/or poets.

I'd like to honor Walt Whitman, who I feel is one of the United States' greatest poets.

He was born on Long Island  NY in 1819, and died in 1892. Poets.org has a nice short biography and links to some of his well-know poems.  He is known for Leaves of Grass but I like the following excerpt from Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking:

Once Paumanok,
When the lilac-scent was in the air and Fifth-month grass was growing,
Up this seashore in some briers,
Two feather'd guests from Alabama, two together,
And their nest, and four light-green eggs spotted with brown,
And every day the he-bird to and fro near at hand,
And every day the she-bird crouch'd on her nest, silent, with bright eyes,
And every day I, a curious boy, never too close, never disturbing them,
Cautiously peering, absorbing, translating.

Shine! shine! shine!
Pour down your warmth, great sun!
While we bask, we two together.

Two together!
Winds blow south, or winds blow north,
Day come white, or night come black,
Home, or rivers and mountains from home,
Singing all time, minding no time,
While we two keep together.

Join me and share your stamps.
Viridian

Theme next week (by suggestion): transportation: planes, trains, and automobiles.