(Article) Do you remember......

Do you recall the first teacher who asked you to memorize a poem to recite before the class?

Do you remember that first creative public speaking engagement?

Had you known the poet before that day? Or did you quickly adopt a writer your mother or father loved?


I'd always heard how my mother loved some lady named Elizabeth Barrett Browning, for some poem mom failed to recite accurately (and never repeated her mistake). All of 9 years old, I felt sure I could remember the words, even if mom had not.


Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
from Sonnets from the Portuguese
XLIII

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men might strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,–I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!–and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.


Somehow, reading that dampened my memorizing spirit! It simply did not fit the front of a grade school classroom, even with coming snickers.

Although much longer, albeit much easier too, a slim book called The Kitten Twins served the purpose I needed. And, so much more interesting for a child who loved cats and kittens!

The Kitten Twins
There were two little kittens
with eyes of blue
One was named Twinkle
And one was named blue.

They tried to be good
And do what was right
But they got into mischief
From morning to night.

When Grandma was knitting
And dropped her yarn ball
They snatched it and dragged it
Way out in the hall.

It rolled down the stairs
Like a fire-ball of red
With the twins rolling after it
Heels over head....

The poem continues for 20 pages, but since it is under copyright, I'll have to stop here.

You can read another of my childhood favorites here: http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~florian/schools/lovelylady.htm


So, what was the first poem YOU memorized?