Poetry Magazine:

POEM SAMPLER

New Year's Resolution Poems

Poems to help you kick your habits, get out of debt, and organize your life.

Angela Mabray

The New Year is upon us, which means parties, bowl games, and the inevitable year-end reflecting. Have you met all your goals and found ways to simplify your life? Well, don’t worry—no one has. Every year, though, many of us vow over a glass of champagne to kick that habit, better manage our time, or call our parents every week. Here are some poems to help you reckon with reckoning.  

 

Kick the Habit

“On Quitting” by Edgar Guest

This poem is a direct challenge. Guest asks whether the “pluck” you’ve shown in the world matches your private muster. The only way to tell—give up something that you love.  

Quit Smoking

“A Farewell to Tobacco” by Charles Lamb
Lamb’s hyperbolic allusions to Bacchus, ancient Egypt, Katherine of Spain, and the like romanticize tobacco. Instead of renouncing smoking altogether, he resolves to replace time spent on the bad habit with time spent praising it—in other words, he writes a poem instead of lighting up. 

Just Do It

“Burning the Old Year” by Naomi Shihab Nye 
Nye burns through a year of memories—literally.  Her biggest regret at the start of a new year?  Not doing what she set out to do the year before.  

Travel

Sections 1 and 15 of “Song of the Open Road” by Walt Whitman

Perhaps Whitman understood better than anyone else the importance of balancing one’s desire for inwardness with living a public, dynamic life. In “Song of the Open Road,” he invites us to put aside our books and papers and venture out.  

Get Organized

“Living” by C.D. Wright

Wright’s poem is a giant to-do list: take out the trash, go to the post office, make car payments, all of it interrupted by reveries on the self—”My mind like a mirror that’s been in a fire,” “Our love a difficult instrument we are learning to play.”  

Find More Time

“Time Problem” by Brenda Hillman

The fact that Hillman is carrying on a conversation with both her young daughter and Stephen Hawking as she writes “Time Problem” sheds light on the double-edged nature of time. How can we understand its absurdity and feel inextricably bound to it?  

Get Out of Debt

“XII Mon. February [1746] hath xxviii days” by Benjamin Franklin

At age 20, Benjamin Franklin developed a plan to observe 13 virtues. Like most of us, he sometimes failed, but his wisdom lives on. Here Franklin reminds us that our actual needs are few, and that “fancy” and “pride” are among the forces that trick us into thinking we need to possess more than we actually have.  

Spend More Time with Family

“Eating Together” by Li-Young Lee
In 12 short lines, Lee captures all of the tenderness and tension that can exist in a family meal. Though we may feel exhausted by our families by the time the new year rolls in, Lee reminds us that we’ll miss the most ordinary occasions when a family member isn’t with us any longer. 

Don't Explain

“New Year's Day” by Kim Addonizio

After another year of far away loves and high hopes, the poet thinks perhaps acceptance is the best way to maintain equilibrium in the new year.  “Today,” she says, walking in the mud on the first day of the new year, “I want to resolve nothing.” 

Originally Published: December 27, 2006

Benjamin Franklin, Christ Church Philadelphia Est.1695 Burial Ground

The Graves The Burial Ground has 1,400 markers including some of America’s most prominent Colonial and Revolution-era leaders. It is estimated that more than 5,000 markers have disappeared due to erosion with time.  This is the final resting place of five signers of the Declaration of Independence, the founders of the U.S. Navy and many of America’s early medical pioneers. Grave markers include people from three centuries of American history.  Some famous and notable people buried in the burial ground include: Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Scientist, Philosopher, Printer, Diplomat, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution Francis Hopkinson (1737-1790) Artist, Lawyer, Judge, Composer, Signer of the Declaration of Independence Joseph Hewes (1730-1779) Secretary of Naval Affairs, Signer of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina George Ross (1730-1779) Judge, Signer of the Declaration of Independence Dr. Benjamin Rush (1746-1813) Physician, social reformer, Treasurer of the United States Mint, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, founder of Dickinson College, Known as "The Father of American Psychiatry" Sarah Knowles (1721) oldest known marker in the burial ground Edward W. Clay (1799-1857) Political cartoonist John Dunlap (1747-1812) Printer of the first broadside of the Declaration of Independence. Published the first daily newspaper. Dr. William Camac (1829-1900) Prominent Philadelphia Physician who founded the Philadelphia Zoo, America's first Zoo. John G. Watmough (1793-1861) United States Congressman, who served as First Lieutenant in the War of 1812. Major William Jackson (1759-1828) Revolutionary War officer, Secretary of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 Sarah Franklin Bache (1737-1811) Daughter of Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, Founder and member of "The Ladies' Association," which was a leading fund raiser during the Revolutionary War Franklin Watkins (1894-1972) Served in the US Navy during World War I, Painter with artwork featured in museums around the world Dr. Thomas Bond (1713-1784) Physician, founded the first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital Philip Syng (1703-1789) Silversmith and maker of the ink and quill stand used for the signing of the Declaration of Independence Julia Stockton Rush ( 1759-1848) Wife of and daughter of signers of the Declaration of Independence, member of the Ladies' Association Dr. Philip Syng Physick (1768-1837) Known as the Father of Modern Surgery Major General George Cadwalader (1806-1879) General during the Civil War William M Meredith (1799-1873) Lawyer, State Attorney General,  Secretary of the Treasury under President Taylor Michael Hillegas (1729-1804) First Treasurer of the United States Commodore William Bainbridge (1774-1833) Commander of Old Ironsides John Spurrier (1746-1798) Author of the Practical Farmer, his book promoted the idea of composting John Taylor (1718-1803) He was the gravedigger at the burial ground for over 50 years Richard Folwel (1768-1814) Printer and newspaper publisher. He printed the first collection of laws of the United States, which was commonly known as the Folwel Edition. Joseph Dolby (1741-1816) Sexton and bell ringer for Christ Church. James Humphreys (1748-1810) Printer, who founded and publishedThe Pennsylvania Ledger. Richard Thomson (1799-1824) Consul from the United States to Canton In 1864, church warden Edward L. Clark compiled a book of the inscriptions that were still visible on  existing gravestones. Most of the inscriptions have  disappeared over time. About thirty new metal plaques have been placed in front of some of the more prominent markers with the original inscription on the plaques. Many  inscriptions for thousands of those we know are interred here were lost at the time the inscription book was created. We may never know where they are buried  in our burial ground but we honor their memory. The following is a list of some of those who are names without stones: Charles Mason-Astronomer, surveyor. Mason along with Jeremiah Dixon helped to settle the boundary dispute between Pennsylvania and Maryland, creating the Mason-Dixon Line in 1763. Major David S. Franks -Highest ranking Jewish officer in the Continental Army, died of Yellow Fever on October 7th 1793. Jonathan Gostelowe -Philadelphia cabinet maker, crafted the baptismal font and altar table still in use at Christ Church. Captain Anthony Palmer -Governor of Pennsylvania, founder of Kensington area of Philadelphia. Benjamin Franklin Bache -Grandson of Benjamin Franklin, printer and publisher of the Aurora newspaper. He died of Yellow Fever in September of 1798. Thomas Hopkinson -Father of Francis Hopkinson, President of the Philosophical Society, one of the founders of the Library Company. Samuel Blodget -Economist, merchant, amateur architect who designed the First Bank of the United States. Matthew Pratt-Portrait Painter Rev. Aaron Cleveland -Minister who served in Delaware. He is the great-great-grandfather of President Grover Cleveland. Lewis Evans-he was a surveyor and Geographer, who made maps of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware counties. His maps were used by people migrating to the colonies and also by General Braddock during the French and Indian War. Notables buried in the church and churchyard located at 2nd and Market Streets Rev. William White (1748-1836) Rector of Saint Peter Church and Christ Church. First Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Graeme Ferguson (1739-1801) Poet, early American writer. Robert Morris (1734-1806) Signer of the Declaration of Independence & the United States Constitution. Financier of the American Revolution. James Wilson (1742-1798) Signer of the Declaration of Independence & the Constitution. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Pierce Butler (1744-1822) Signer of the Constitution from South Carolina. General John Forbes (1759) Commander during the French and Indian War. Andrew Hamilton (1676-1741) Lawyer known as "The Philadelphia Lawyer." He was founder of the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. Jacob Broom (1752-1810) Signer of the Constitution from Delaware. The Edward Clark Inscription book has been reprinted and is available for sale for $40.00 at the church and burial ground. It can also be ordered via email. Contact Anne McLaughlin at amclaughlin@christchurchphila.org.   Download and print a map [583K PDF] of the burial ground showing the grave sites of famous people. Download map

Nothing Is Certain But Death And Taxes, Context-Ben Franklin

The Saying: NOTHING IS CERTAIN BUT DEATH AND TAXES.

Who Said It: Benjamin Franklin

When: 1789

The Story behind It: American-born Franklin was a statesman, scientist, and writer who frequently corresponded with the prominent international figures of his time. In 1789, at the age of 83, Franklin was still corresponding with Jean Baptiste Leroy, a French physicist and writer. Many of Franklin's personal letters contained simple maxims-the kind found in his Poor Richard's Almanack-and they prove that his wit and wisdom were not impaired by age. One of these comments was: "Our Constitution is in actual operation. Everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes."

© 1975 - 1981 by David Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace
Reproduced with permission from "The People's Almanac" series of books.

Benjamin Franklin, Superstar ("Keystone Tombstones")

When Benjamin Franklin died 20,000 mourners attended his funeral at Christ Church in Philadelphia, PA in 1790.  By way of contrast the city's entire population in 1790 was 28, 522.  And when George Washington died 9 years later only 4,000 people attended his funeral.  Franklin and his wife are buried in a rather simple grave in Christ Church Burial Ground.  Rather than a headstone there is a large flat rectangular "ledger" gravestone which reads "Benjamin and Deborah Franklin:  1790."  People to this day leave coins on the gravestone as a gift to the departed.  Roughly $4,000 to $5,000 a year in coins are left on the grave.  This money is used for upkeep of the cemetery.

There's a great new book out called "Keystone Tombstones:  Volume One" (Sunbury Press, $19.95).  It's the first of 3 planned volumes.  The authors are long-time friends Joe Farley and Joe Farrell.   Profiles of 30 "famous" Pennsylvania grave sites are in this book, which includes biographical information and stories about a wide range of notable men and women buried in Pennsylvania (the Keystone State).

Thanks to Tirdad Derakshani's article, "State of Rest, Their Stories Are Carved In Stone", in the Philadelphia Inquirer on June 14, 2012.