“Cherry Blossoms” by Toi Derricotte read by Sher Schwartz
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6 responses to ““Cherry Blossoms” by Toi Derricotte read by Sher Schwartz”
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Thanks for commenting: “I went down to /mingle my breath/with the breath/of the cherry blossoms…
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Yes, thank you for listening. This poem seems to be working on many levels.
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The poem came alive for me with the tipping of the wheelchair so the son could fully enjoy the blossoms — a small, tremendously thoughtful gesture. I honestly was bothered by the line about wishing her poems were as beautiful as the cherry blossoms! So unnecessary and took me right out of the scene.
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Hello and thanks for listening and commenting. Although I did not have that experience when she wished her poetry was as beautiful as cherry blossoms, I do know exactly what you mean and how it feels when a line seriously does not work– so much so does not work that it really does catapult you off the page. I am reading another poet now whose work I will be sharing soon for a SherPoetry edition, and as much as I love her work overall, I am having this experience with some of her poems. She especially has a way of providing a last line that jars and doesn’t seem to resonate, and I feel thrown to the next poem. It is a feeling of dislike! It is quite the visceral moment. Poets have a reason for all they do, but sometimes it just doesn’t reach us, and this is true of all poets. Back to Derricotte’s poem, I felt her wish for her poetry to be as beautiful as the blossoms, and the last lines when the trees spoke of the ancient beauty we all possess– was an attempt to deepen the scene. Still, I asked myself can poetry or words ever be a beautiful and moving as cherry blossoms or so many other moments in nature. What do you think?
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