A month or two ago, I made a deliberate change to my morning routine. While enjoying my regular bowl of cereal and my last few moments at home before heading to school, I stopped looking at my phone and playing word games. Instead, I chose to use that time to read. I didn’t want to continue reading my “bedtime” book in the morning, but instead wanted to dip into books that lent themselves to short spans of reading.
The first book I read this way was “Do Interesting-Notice. Collect. Share.” by Russell Davies. It’s full of short chapters and all sorts of rich thoughts about creativity. “Interesting isn’t a personality, it’s a decision. Don’t hunt for diamonds. Get fascinated by pebbles.” It was delightful to nibble at a few chapters each morning.
Now I’ve moved on to read “Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry” by Ted Kooser and Jim Harrison. It’s comprised of short poems written back and forth between those two men. It’s a joy to read as they explore friendship, nature, aging, and more. Their poems are insightful, irreverent, humorous, poignant and wise. I love that none of the poems are attributed so you can just lose yourself in the flow of their exchange. Here are a few of my favorites:
All I want to be
is a thousand blackbirds
bursting from a tree,
seeding the sky.
-------------
At the tip of memory's
great funnel-cloud
is the nib of a pen.
--------------
The moon put her hand
over my mouth and told me
to shut up and watch.
--------------
What if everyone you've loved
were still alive?
That's the province
of the young, who don't know it.
--------------
The hay in the loft
misses the night sky,
so the old roof
leaks a few stars.
It was so hard to stop sharing favorites! What a treasure of a book! My copy is fluttering with so many sticky notes marking different poems, that I'm pretty sure if a breeze came through, it could take flight. Or maybe it already has.
I'd love to know if you have any books that might fit well with my new morning routine. Any suggestions?
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Tracey Kiff-Judson at her blog. If you’re a Monopoly fan, you definitely need to stop by and check out her post!
Nix the comfort zone 
Both now reserved at my library—thank you!
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I hope you enjoy them!
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What a balm this post is…I miss reading. I could absolutely do a little bit in the mornings. These books have already captured me as diamonds…not pebbles. Thank you!
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They’ve been perfect for short spans of morning reading. Someone gave me a book about photography in the same format/series (The Do Book Company) as the Russell Davies’ book. I think that might be next.
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My parents were morning readers. I can see them now, Dad in his lounge chair and Mom on the sofa reading and looking up every once in a while to share something they read. I want to do that in my old age. Those small gems from Ted Kooser and Jim Harrison are like a delicious box of chocolates.
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don’t wait for old age
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That remembered moment feels like a poem.
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I loved Braided Creek, too! I’ll recommend THANKS A THOUSAND for your morning reading. And I’ll check back to see what others I might add to my TBR list!
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Thanks for the recommendation, Mary Lee. I’ll definitely check it out. It’s fun seeing what others suggest!
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Molly, I always read and enjoy your writing (and photos). I probably should comment more. I’ve never been a poetry reader but I loved the samples you shared- thank you.
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Thanks so much for reading and for commenting! I’m so glad you enjoyed these poems, too. PS I wish I knew who this was (the anonymous comment thing that my blog is doing these days is frustrating!)!
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Thanks so much for these recommendations! I’m reading The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal (James Crews, ed). I alternate it with one my daughter gave me for Christmas: Leaning Toward Light: Poems for Gardens and the Hands That Tend Them. (Tess Taylor, ed.). Isn’t that a great title?
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Those both sound wonderful, Rose! I have “How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope” (James Crews, ed.) in my pile right now. I didn’t know about the one you mentioned. Thanks for the recommendations! (And yes that title is wonderful! )
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Molly, I feel like you were speaking directly to me in this post! I do the same things, and I would love to break my word game habits with reading. Thank you for sharing these two books. The quote, “What if everyone you ever loved were still alive …” really got to me. I started the year with the book “A Year in Small Drawings,” in which you do a tiny drawing or two each day. Doing so encourages you to take notice of things around you, it is quick, and it is something different than reading. Thank you for sharing!
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That quote really hit home with me as well, Tracey. I found these small poems evoked such a multitude of feelings. Your drawing idea is interesting, but sounds quite challenging to me. Perhaps that’s the best reason to give it a try…
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Both books are going onto my list of titles to get at the library! Thank you, Molly.
Any of Ross Gay’s or Margaret Renkl’s books of short essays might fit the bill for morning reading, too.
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I just got one of Ross Gay’s books for my daughter for Christmas. I was tempted to keep it for myself then, and now I really wish I had. Thanks for these recommendations! I think short essays might fit really well into my mornings.
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Thanks for this, Molly. I have a book that shares writing they shared with each other, titled Winter Morning Walks, but this is new to me. The examples you shared are so lovely. I put a wish list on Amazon, though I use it for ordering elsewhere, including the library, and they say there is a new edition of yours, expanded for the anniversary of it. When I taught, I read a book for poets and writers titled ‘Important Words’, though mostly poetry, I found it inspired me with sharing all kinds of writing with my students.
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I’d love to check out “Important Words”, Linda. Do you remember the author or editor? I couldn’t find it with a quick search. Also, I’m so glad you mentioned Winter Morning Walks. I had heard about it, but totally forgotten it. Thanks for the reminder.
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Sorry, Should have given that, too. It’s an older Heinemann book by Bill Brown & Malcolm Glass! Happy reading all these new titles!
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Thanks! I’m going to check it out for sure!
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I love everything Kooser does. What a perfect pairing of books too. I think Kooser and Harrison would agree with the encouragement to be fascinated by pebbles. 🙂
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These were great books to ease me into my new habit. I found myself so looking forward to reading them.
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I love Braided Creek too, Molly! Other possibilities for your reading: any Austin Kleon book and The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday. I’ve put the Do/Interesting book on my tbr shelf. Thank you!
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Thanks, Laura! I have read some Austin Kleon books and subscribe to his e-mail. (I keep thinking I should become a paying member!) I’ve read The Art of Noticing, but I think it’s probably time for a revisit. I’m getting quite a lovely list thanks to all these recommendations! Thanks!
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Hannah loves Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
Daily one page inspirational encouragement. She’s gold.
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