Friday Poetry- Finding Your Favourites

Young poets are always asking, 'Of all the poems you have written, what is your favourite poem?' I have trouble designating a particular poem. For me, it's a bit like being asked, 'Of all your children, who is your favourite?

Among a poet's collection there are poems that receive a good reaction, and poems that receive regular requests. There are also poems that have quite special memories attached to them. This makes them particularly special for me as the writer. Then there are those freshly made poems that as a poet I am keen to share. Those poems bring a new energy. Nestled among my favourite poems are some that are more intentionally thoughtful, because poetry is capable of appealing to every emotion. I like it when my poems make a reader, laugh and smile, giggle and guffaw, but I am equally pleased when my poems make the reader pause to think.

I am happy to declare quite openly though, the following poem, written by Brian Moses remains a personal favourite of mine...

Image result for a feather From an Angel Brian Moses

'A Feather From An Angel' is the very first offering in Brian's anthology- 'Lost Magic, the Very Best of Brian Moses' - and while the poet is careful not to declare any particular poem in this impressive collection as being his outright favourite, I suspect this poem might be a strong contender.

A FEATHER FROM AN ANGEL

Anton’s box of treasures held
a silver key and a glassy stone,
a figurine made of polished bone
and a feather from an angel.

The figurine was from Borneo,
the stone from France or Italy,
the silver key was a mystery
but the feather came from an angel.

We might have believed him if he’d said
the feather fell from a bleached white crow
but he always replied, “It’s an angel’s, I know,
a feather from an angel.”

We might have believed him if he’d said,
“An albatross let the feather fall,”
But he had no doubt, no doubt at all,
his feather came from an angel.

“I thought I’d dreamt him one night,” he’d say,
“But in the morning I knew he’d been there;
he left a feather on my bedside chair,
a feather from an angel.”

And it seems that all my life I’ve looked
for that sort of belief that nothing could shift,
something simple yet precious as Anton’s gift,
a feather from an angel.
© 2005, Brian Moses
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