The first poet who wrote for adults that I ever read was Ogden Nash. I was 10 years old, at St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Escanaba, Michigan. (It’s now a parking lot.) Finding a collection of his poetry in the school library was a revelation. It really solidified my love of language and whimsy.
Every sunny July I think of this poem. I hope it makes you smile as much as it does me:
Summer Serenade
When thunder stalks the sky,
When tickle-footed walks the fly,
When shirt is wet and throat is dry,
Look, my darling, that’s July.
Though the grassy lawn be leather,
And prickly temper tug the tether,
Shall we postpone our love for weather?
If we must melt, let’s melt together!