April 10, 2012: Poems I Love, Part Two

[I’m spending much of my blog-time this week working on a new writing project, about which more to come soon (when details become more finalized). So in honor of National Poetry Month, I’m going to highlight one amazing American poem per day this week, say one thing about why I love it, and then hope that you’ll a) read and enjoy; and b) share your own nominations in comments!]

Sarah Piatt’s

“The Palace Burner” (1872)

Parent-child relationships, class and revolution, gender and identity, self-reflection, history, the need for and limits of empathy … is there anything important this poem isn’t about?

Next poem tomorrow,

Ben

PS. Favorite American poems, please!

4/10 Memory Day nominee: William Apess, about whose tragic but inspiring life, and angry and eloquent voice, see that link!