I attended the Literary Road Show last Wednesday with Kristin, my partner in crime, er, I guess we’re partners in writing now. It was our first visit and we really did not know what to expect. There were three readers– the first read poetry, the second from an historical novel and the last was an original piece. What I liked about this group was that they encourage reading aloud whatever inspires you. There is so much out there, already written, and written beautifully, that it’s nice to have an opportunity to appreciate the ‘classics.’ Of course original work is what we strive for– but, how cool to think that someone would enjoy ours enough to read it aloud somewhere down the line?

The experience reminded me of a poem I read in college (the first time), called, Pet Panther.

I’m terrified of public speaking and don’t really have a mind/ear for poetry, but I love this piece. Maybe some day I’ll work up the courage to share it with The Literary Road Show. Or maybe you’ll beat me to it?

Pet Panther
A.R. Ammons

My attention is a wild
animal: it will if idle
make trouble where there
was no harm: it will

sniff and scratch at the
breath’s sills:
it will wind itself tight
around the pulse

or, undistracted by
verbal toys, pommel the
heart frantic: it will
pounce on a stalled riddle

and wrestle the mind numb:
attention, fierce animal
I cry, as it coughs in my
face, dislodges boulders

in my belly, lie down, be
still, have mercy, here
is song, coils of song, play
it out, run with it.

Now:

I was very excited to see this old post because I love the poem. I had forgotten about The Literary Road Show, an inspired idea I’d wanted to adapt for In Print at the time. So much has changed in the seven years since we attended the LRS. Both Kristin and I have moved (although she moved out of state and I moved up the street), are multi-published, and we have each done public readings of our own work!

What ‘classic’ piece of literature still inspires you?
And should we organize an event where you can read it?!