Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings


I was cleaning the bookshelves today and came across this book that I've had for some time. It's titled "Songs of a Housewife" and is the poetry of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Marjorie wrote "The Yearling" and "Cross Creek" along with many, many other books.
The poems are so sweet and well worth the read. Here's one:
Duty Books
I don't like books I "ought to read,"
Too dull and ponderous, stupid stuff
I give scant interest and scant heed -
Less weighty tomes have charm enough.

I do not care to read by rule,
To follow where the critics swarm.
I like, regardless of their "school"
The books that keep my spirit warm.

I like to browse in libraries,
And choose at random from a shelf;
To read and study as I please.
My duty is to suit myself.
MKR

Don't you just love that! I think you can still get the book on Amazon. Pick one up and enjoy!

1 comment:

muddywaters said...

thanks for visiting my blog, and posting such great comments. It's always nice to hear from fellow Kansans.

I like this poem. I still hate being assigned a book to read. It seems to always suck the joy out of reading.

Last spring I read MKR's Cross Creek, and I'm eager to read her cookbook. In Cross Creek, she writes two pages just about the joy of eating mangoes. Wonderful writing.

take care,
muddy