Naming of Parts — Odds Are
I was going to link to this poem today — it is one of my favorites and I try to read it every spring. But it is gray and rainy here, so I thought we needed something more upbeat.
In my family, I am notorious for becoming infatuated with a song and playing it obsessively, until EVERYONE including the Slobbering Beast groans when they hear the first few notes. (My son recently reminded my husband how lucky he was not to carpool with us in the morning because “You don’t have to hear about Jane and that dude wearing a corset all the time. Which is just weird.” Lou Reed, wherever you are, I salute you.)
But sometimes I hit on a winner, like this one. It has become our morning wake-up song, our roll down the windows and sing on the way home from school song, our dance around the kitchen after dinner song. Play it a few hundred times — it grows on you. (And read the ticker tape at the bottom if you need a laugh.)
Enjoy.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sw9Fh6uk4Q&w=560&h=315]
Thought-provoking poem, good song, great sentiments. Thanks for passing them along, Liz!
My pleasure, Vaughn — thanks for stopping by!
I love “Naming of Parts.” Henry Reed:
“Japonica Glistens like coral in all of the neighboring gardens,
And to-day we have naming of parts . . . “
It is one of my favorites too, Norman. I think I first read it in high school and it is a poem that has stayed with me all these years.
“And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.”
Wow. I loved the poem, but the audio version was even more captivating. I don’t make a practice of listening to audiobooks, but I’ve been missing out.
It’s so melancholy, Jan. I’m glad you liked it. It would be interesting to hear a modern reading. I’d always thought of the solder’s thoughts as being so wistful.