Friday, April 29, 2022

such good feet

I am grateful to those who are keepers of the groove. The babies and the grandmas who hang on to it and help us remember when we forget that any kind of dancing is better than no dancing at all.
~Lynda Barry


Hi folks! Happy Poetry Friday!



Last chance to sign up for the Summer Poem Swap! Drop me a line or leave a message in the comments. Not sure whether I've shared this before, but here is "Lines Written for Gene Kelly To Dance To" by Carl Sandburg.


Lines Written for Gene Kelly To Dance To
by Carl Sandburg

Spring is when the grass turns green and glad.
Spring is when the new grass comes up and says, "Hey, hey! Hey, hey!"
Be dizzy now and turn your head upside down and see how
the world looks upside down.
Be dizzy now and turn a cartwheel, and see the good earth
through a cartwheel.

Tell your feet the alphabet.
Tell your feet the multiplication table.
Tell your feet where to go, and, and watch ‘em go and come back.

Can you dance a question mark?
Can you dance an exclamation point?
Can you dance a couple of commas?
And bring it to a finish with a period?

Can you dance like the wind is pushing you?
Can you dance like you are pushing the wind?
Can you dance with slow wooden heels
and then change to bright and singing silver heels?
Such nice feet, such good feet.

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Here's Gene Kelly, 1943:



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Jone Rush MacCulloch has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Jone!

10 comments:

jama said...

Thanks for this feel good post! Why had I never seen that Sandburg poem before? Love it. And Gene Kelly is good any time of the day.

Patricia Franz said...

So fun that Gene Kelly could inspire a poet! Great reminder for me: gratitude in moving!

Linda B said...

Gene Kelly & Sandburg, who knew? I so wanted to be a dancer like Kelly, et al! Love your "duo", Tabatha!








Robyn Hood Black said...

How wonderful! Thanks for this Carl Sandburg delight, Tabatha. (Funny, the century-plus-old poem I shared this week has “hey” in it, too! ;0)

Linda Mitchell said...

That last stanza is fabulous...pushing the wind, being pushed by the wind. What a great poem by a great for a great.

laurasalas said...

Dance like the wind is pushing you! I love it! And I always love seeing the poetry swaps shared in PF posts. I've tried them twice, and I was stressed out and overwhelmed both times. I'm so glad you organize these and that I reap the rewards, though :>) Thank you.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

This poem reminded me of a dream I had a couple nights ago when I was wearing tap shoes and annoying people with the noise I was making. Sheesh. I bet Gene Kelly wouldn't have been annoyed. Carl Sandberg either, I'm guessing. Thanks for tripping this post fantastic, T. :)

mbhmaine said...

Oh, what a fabulous post! Both the poem and the video are brilliant. Gene Kelly is a marvel and watching him dance is an amazing way to start the day! Thank you!!

Karen Edmisten said...

A dose of Gene Kelly: much-needed. :)

Thanks, Tabatha!

Mary Lee said...

What talent! If only I could dance, spring would definitely make me dance like that!