Episode 543 || Summer Readings: Poems We Love
This week on From the Front Porch, we have another episode of Summer Readings! In this series, Annie introduces you to one book you should read this summer by reading an excerpt (with permission from publishers).
Today, Annie reads poems from different poetry collections. Use code SUMMERREADINGS at checkout to get 10% off the books below.
To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 543) or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app:
A Poem to Read Aloud Every Day of the Year by Liz Ison
A Bit Much by Lyndsay Rush
And Yet: Poems by Kate Baer
How About Now: Poems by Kate Baer (releases November 4th)
From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found below.
Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
This week, Annie is reading Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson.
If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.
We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.
Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.
Transcript:
Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business, and life in the South.
Top down, cruising in my own lane, I slipped the Do Not Disturb sign onto the doorknob of my life. I've got important work to do. Minding my own business, accommodating my whims, guarding my joy. Nose buried in the story, only I can tell. Lindsay Rush from her collection, A Bit Much.
I'm Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia. And this week we're back with the final episode in our summer readings series. Before we get started, are you keeping up with The Bookshelves events? It's true. Summers are quieter here in the shop. I'm not sure if you've heard, but a couple of us are on maternity leave and it gets a little hot, humid down here. We're surviving, maybe not thriving, but we still have plenty going on, and plenty is already being scheduled for fall. Maybe you thought our events were just for locals, but even if you are not a nearby listener or customer, we've got plans in the books for you too.
[00:01:32] From our Fall Reader Retreat to our literary first look programs to our holiday shopping nights, we plan specific events for our long distance customers and friends. To keep up with all we have going on, we've got a couple of options for you. Choose the one that makes the most sense for you. You can follow us on Instagram @Bookshelftville, where we post regularly about in-store and virtual happenings. You can subscribe to our store newsletter, which lands in your inbox every Thursday and has a complete rundown of shop events. Or you can check our website, which Erin keeps updated with event dates, tickets, and details, anything you would need to attend a Bookshelf event. Links for all of those are in the show notes, so you can follow along however you so choose. We have so much going on, so much in the works for later this year, and we would love for you to be a part of it.
[00:02:26] Now, back to the show. When I found out I was pregnant and came to terms with the fact that it really was happening, I began to brainstorm ways to keep the podcast coming to you regularly this summer. We rarely, if ever, do reruns on this show. And even though I'm not opposed to taking a break, we just haven't done a ton of break taking maybe ever. So when Olivia also announced that she had a baby coming this summer, much like Nancy Meyers, I knew something's got to give. I could only batch record so many episodes before my own maternity leave, whatever that might wind up looking like. So for July and August, we have been bringing you two new podcasts series. We're back this week with a final episode in our summer readings episode series. Even before I recorded the audio book of Ordinary Time, I did try to find ways to incorporate book narration into our episodes. I want grownups to be read to, too. It's honestly why we start each episode with a book quote, why each holiday season I read, "'Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." I'm very aware of copyright issues. Hello, having a husband who's an attorney. So for this podcast series, we received permission from publishers to read to you excerpts of some of my favorite new summer books.
[00:03:48] Over the last few weeks, we've read together from It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan, The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Motley, and A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst. That's episodes 537, 539, and 541. These episodes have been short and sweet, much like our Yes Virginia episodes. But hopefully they've given you a taste of some new summer titles I think you'll really love. Each book can be found on our website, bookshelfthomasville.com, and we've been giving you a code each week to receive 10% off of the featured selections. Today, to close things out, and this was actually my very first idea, and it kind of morphed and became summer readings, but my very idea was just to read you poetry all summer. Maybe you're so grateful that I didn't. But I really thought about the year, and maybe she does this every year, but when Emily Freeman reads to us from the Psalms, that's one of the things I thought of. And I was like, what could be the equivalent? And I'm like, oh, I'll just read poetry. Certainly, I guess I could have done that. But then I brainstormed with some other people and we thought about ways to still drive people to the Bookshelf website, obviously, and highlight books since we weren't doing new Release Rundowns, we weren't doing Reading Recap episodes, how could we still generate excitement about new books? So hopefully we've done that.
[00:05:12] But I couldn't resist then in closing out the series by reading some poetry to you. So back in April, our team honored National Poetry Month, so did a lot of bookstores across the country. But we honored National poetry month with readings from some of our favorite poems. We also did Poem in Your Pocket Day, which is one of my favorite things. I think the staff laughs at me like they laugh at how much I love hot dogs. Anyway, Poem in Your Pocket Day is always a hit. But you can scroll back through our Instagram feed and you can see Caroline beautifully walking us through some of her favorite poems. Her voice, by the way, is incredibly soothing and she is a poet herself, which I think lends to how beautifully she read those poems and recited those poems. I loved listening to Caroline back in April. It felt like listening to a meditation app. So as we wrap up August, I thought I'd read some summertime inspired poetry. Most of today's poems can be found in this gorgeous poetry anthology called A Poem to Read Aloud Every Day of the Year that is edited by Liz Ison.
[00:06:15] And then I'm also going to wrap up with a couple of poems from two modern poets I love, Kate Bear and then Lindsay Rush, who you also heard from at the top of the episode. Based on our store sales numbers, poetry is a hard sell. I think maybe that's because it's intimidating to readers, perhaps too reminiscent of a high school English class that we hated. Though, let me be very clear, I never hated high school English class. Never. I could never, but a lot of people did. And so I wonder if we associate poetry and short stories with like classrooms and we can't read those without being taught those. I do think that's a bit of a bummer because now more than ever, I find poetry accessible. A lot of that has to do with Instagram. Thank you poets who put their work on Instagram. And because of our waning and distracted attention spans, I also think poetry offers an anecdote to our overwhelming desire to scroll. Bored? Poetry. In a reading slump? Poetry. Can't sleep? Poety. Trying to wake up? Poetry. Poetry when you wake up and on your lunch break and right before bed. It's just a couple of lines. Sometimes they even rhyme and the rhyme will stay with you all day, like a mantra or a prayer.
[00:07:32] So, read poetry. Perfect for these last days of summer, because honestly, it's perfect all the time.
The Schoolboy by William Blake.
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.
But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn.
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learnings bower,
Worn thro' with the dreary shower.
How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy.
But droop his tender wing.
And forget his youthful spring.
O! father & mother. if buds are nip'd,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip'd
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay.
How shall the summer arise in joy.
Or the summer fruits appear.
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy
Or bless the mellowing year.
When the blasts of winter appear.
[00:09:11] One Art by Elizabeth Bishop.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster.
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn’t hard to master.
Then practice losing farther, losing faster: places, and names, and where it was you meant to travel. None of these will bring disaster.
I lost my mother’s watch. And look! my last, or next-to-last, of three loved houses went. The art of losing isn’t hard to master.
I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster, some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent. I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster.
—Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture I love) I shan’t have lied. It’s evident the art of losing’s not too hard to master though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
[00:10:31] Fairy Song by Louisa May Alcott.
The moonlight fades from flower and rose
And the stars dim one by one;
The tale is told, the song is sung,
And the Fairy feast is done.
The night-wind rocks the sleeping flowers,
And sings to them, soft and low.
The early birds erelong will wake:
'T is time for the Elves to go.
O'er the sleeping earth we silently pass,
Unseen by mortal eye,
And send sweet dreams, as we lightly float
Through the quiet moonlit sky;—
For the stars' soft eyes alone may see,
And the flowers alone may know,
The feasts we hold, the tales we tell;
So't is time for the Elves to go.
From bird, and blossom, and bee,
We learn the lessons they teach;
And seek, by kindly deeds, to win
A loving friend in each.
And though unseen on earth we dwell,
Sweet voices whisper low,
And gentle hearts most joyously greet
The Elves where'er they go.
When next we meet in the Fairy dell,
May the silver moon's soft light
Shine then on faces gay as now,
And Elfin hearts as light.
Now spread each wing, for the eastern sky
With sunlight soon shall glow.
The morning star shall light us home:
Farewell! for the Elves must go.
[00:11:48] Summer Song of the Strawberry Girl by Mary Botham Howitt.
It is summer! it is summer! how beautiful it looks!
There is sunshine on the old gray hills, and sunshine on the brooks
A singing-bird on every bough, soft perfumes on the air,
A happy smile on each young lip, and gladness everywhere.
Oh! is it not a pleasant thing to wander through the woods,
To look upon the painted flowers, and watch the opening buds;
Or seated in the deep cool shade at some tall ash-tree's root,
To fill my little basket with the sweet and scented fruit?
They tell me that my father's poor — that is no grief to me
When such a blue and brilliant sky my upturn'd eye can see;
They tell me, too, that richer girls can sport with toy and gem;
It may be so — and yet, methinks, I do not envy them.
When forth I go upon my way, a thousand toys are mine,
The clusters of dark violets, the wreaths of the wild vine;
My jewels are the primrose pale, the bind-weed, and the rose;
And shew me any courtly gem more beautiful than those.
And then the fruit! the glowing fruit, how sweet the scent it breathes!
I love to see its crimson cheek rest on the bright green leaves!
Summer's own gift of luxury, in which the poor may share,
The wild-wood fruit my eager eye is seeking everywhere.
Oh! summer is a pleasant time, with all its sounds and sights;
Its dewy mornings, balmy eves, and tranquil calm delights;
I sigh when first I see the leaves fall yellow on the plain,
And all the winter long I sing — Sweet summer, come again.
[00:13:50] A Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson
And if I speak of Paradise,
then I’m speaking of my grandmother
who told me to carry it always
on my person, concealed, so
no one else would know but me.
That way they can’t steal it, she’d say.
And if life puts you under pressure,
trace its ridges in your pocket,
smell its piney scent on your handkerchief,
hum its anthem under your breath.
And if your stresses are sustained and daily,
get yourself to an empty room – be it hotel,
hostel or hovel – find a lamp
and empty your paradise onto a desk:
your white sands, green hills and fresh fish.
Shine the lamp on it like the fresh hope
of morning, and keep staring at it till you sleep.
[00:14:49] Mermaid in America by Lindsay Rush Sometimes I don't recognize my own knees in photographs, probably because for years I hid my legs under maxi dresses, party pants, strategic poses, anything to skirt attention from what I had determined was my most troublesome area. I always thought Ariel was one dinglehopper short of a full grotto for wanting a pair of these. Hadn't anyone told her about the scrutiny, the comparison, the cellulite, the spanks, the cankles, the saddlebags? I'm mostly over it now, but that's only because where I live, it's way too hot to hate yourself out of wearing shorts.
[00:15:42] Beach Body by Kate Baer
Mountain Body I don't want your cropped body. Give me all the hot body, soft body, curve and dimple big body. Love to see a strong body, loose body, other kind of built body. Want to hear your loud body, lover in the night body. This is not your mother's body, and even if it was, look at how she moves.
[00:16:16] The names of today's poems are listed in the show notes. I read to you from the poetry anthology, A Poem to Read Aloud Every Day of the Year, edited by Liz Ison. I also read from Lindsay Rush's collection, A Bit Much, then closed things out with Kate Baer's And Yet. Kate also has a new collection of poetry releasing this fall called How About Now. You can pre-order it from the bookshelf website and purchase any of today’s other selections too. To receive 10% off this week, use code SUMMERREADINGS. Make sure you include the S at checkout. Again, for 10% OFF, use SUMMERSREADINGS at checkout!
[00:17:00] This week, I'm reading Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson.
Annie Jones: From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website:
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found at:
Special thanks to Studio D Podcast Production for production of From the Front Porch and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
Our Executive Producers of today’s episode are…
Cammy Tidwell, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Stephanie Dean, Ashley Ferrell, Gene Queens, Beth, Jammie Treadwell…
Executive Producers (Read Their Own Names): Nicole Marsee, Wendi Jenkins
Annie Jones: If you’d like to support From the Front Porch, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your input helps us make the show even better and reach new listeners. All you have to do is open up the Podcast App on your phone, look for From the Front Porch, scroll down until you see ‘Write a Review’ and tell us what you think. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us over on Patreon, where we have 3 levels of support - Front Porch Friends, Book Club Companions, and Bookshelf Benefactors. Each level has an amazing number of benefits like bonus content, access to live events, discounts, and giveaways. Just go to:
We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.