POEM IN YOUR POCKET

Yesterday at school as part of literacy week, all kids had to have a poem in their pockets to share with the rest of their classmates.
In the evening, I asked my parents about which poem they would put in their pocket and these are the poems they chose.

MY MOM

Mon Rêve Familier

Je fais souvent ce rêve étrange et pénétrant

D’une femme inconnue, et que j’aime, et qui m’aime, 

Et qui n’est, chaque fois, ni tout à fait la même

Ni tout à fait une autre, et m’aime et me comprend.

Car elle me comprend, et mon coeur, transparent

Pour elle seule, hélas! cesse d’être un problème

Pour elle seule, et les moiteurs de mon front blême, 

Elle seule les sait rafraîchir, en pleurant.

Est-elle brune, blonde ou rousse? - Je l’ignore.

Son nom? je me souviens qu’il est doux et sonore 

Comme ceux des aimés que la Vie exila.

Son regard est pareil au regard des statues, 

Et, pour sa vois, lointaine, et calme, et grave elle a

L’inflexion des voix chères qui se sont tues.

Paul VERLAINE 1844_1896 

MY DAD

Anyone lived in a pretty how town


anyone lived in a pretty how town

(with up so floating many bells down)

spring summer autumn winter

he sang his didn't he danced his did.

Women and men (both little and small)

cared for anyone not at all

they sowed their isn't they reaped their same

sun moon stars rain

children guessed (but only a few 

and down they forgot as up they grew

autumn winter spring summer)

that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf

she laughed his joy she cried his grief

bird by snow and stir by still

anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones 

laughed their cryings and did their dance

(sleep wake hope and then)they

said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon

(and only the snow can begin to explain

how children are apt to forget to remember

with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess

(and noone stooped to kiss his face)

busy folk buried them side by side

little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep

and more by more they dream their sleep

noone and anyone earth by april

with by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men (both dong and ding)

summer autumn winter spring

reaped their sowing and went their came

sun moon stars rain 

Edward Estlin Cummings