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Health & Fitness

I Read my Poem at the Celebration of Banned Books!

When I submitted the poem below ("Their Own Beat"), I had my fingers crossed. I really wanted to be part of "Banned! (A Celebration of Banned Books)". It was held on Wednesday, September 25, 7:00 pm as part of the range of activities going on across the country to mark Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2013) The one I participated in was held at the Mark Twain House & Museum. It was an evening of writers reading original pieces "embracing and interpreting the word 'BANNED'"

Here's my poem (I was the first reader!)

Their Own Beat

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Man, oh, man, here they come –

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The proud marchers of the banned book band.

Mark Twain, out in front,

Tossing words in the air and catching them again

Like a catcher in the rye –

Now Mark goes by . . .

See, that’s Alice walking past

In that fine purple suit,

Playing the blues on a purple flute.

Maurice Sendak on spoons

Beating out ribald rhythms –

A bit more cacophonous than harmonious,

But I can feel my ears, my mind stretching to keep up

With the writers, the fighters, the imagination-igniters

The proud marchers of the banned book band.

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