Unexpected Poetry

Dedicated to Dr. John Lewis

A faded green volume falls open in his hand,
Cradling the book with the tips of his fingers,
He intones, Herein lies the beginnings of Man:
Of Thought, of Reason! And here, he lingers.
Reciting the essence of poets long past,
His eyes smiling with a knowing regard;
Time, onto which the passages cast
Light, once dismissed as dark and hard.
Effortlessly finding the work of his desire;
Feathery pages belie their own true weight.
His oration delivered with glee and with fire –
Virtue! The Archaic Greeks did contemplate!
But some subtler poetry lies in his reverent look,
And tenderness for his slender, well-loved book.

Comments

Amy said…
That is so beautiful.
Lynne said…
I forgot to say thanks, Amy.

I'm glad you liked it. The meter leaves a little to be desired in some spots and I took some liberties using a modern philosophy, but my intent was to show the teacher's passion for his subject and a small physical way that was conveyed. I think I was able to do that.

It was a great class.
Amy said…
Yes, you did. Do you know if he's read it? If not, may I point him this way?
Lynne said…
You certainly may point him to it if you know him well enough and think he might enjoy it. Otherwise, it's quite unnecessary.

He was the inspiration, but I wrote it for me and liked it enough to want to share here (there, and everywhere).
John Lewis said…
I am enormously complimented, that you would enjoy my class enough to be motivated to write such a poem. That you did it for yourself adds to the compliment. Thank you.
Lynne said…
You're welcome. And thanks for taking the time to comment.

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