Poetry Quote of the Day: Kay Ryan and Getting Ready for "Poem in your Pocket" Day

Tomorrow is Poem in Your Pocket day. I'm telling you now so you have time to seek out a poem and tuck it away. Here's the one I carried last year.

 This year, I have a new one, chosen from the Poem in Your Pocket anthology, put out by The Academy of American Poets, with a foreward from U.S. Poet Laureate, Kay Ryan. Here's what she says about a poem vs. money in your pocket:

"A poem in your pocket is different. The whole way it works is different. In a way, you can't spend a poem even if you want to. As opposed to money---which seems intent upon getting out of your pocket as though it were a feral animal---a poem settles in. When I say "pocket" here, I mean "mind." A poem settles into your mind." ---Kay Ryan

Tomorrow, I'll tell you which poem from the anthology I chose to carry.  But here's a wild moment of poetic serendipity:  When I read the poem, I didn't look at the poet's name until after I felt that ping! gonna choose THIS ONE moment. And then I realized I knew the poet! Until tomorrow. . . ready your poems and pockets . . .

P.S.  Poets. org has linked to several poems about pockets for PIYP Day, including one fabulous excerpt from my friend Liz's book, A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes.  Print it out and carry it if you want some happiness close at hand. 

This post is part of my Poetry Quote a Day series for National Poetry Month.