Perrine's Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (9th Edition) Thomas R. Arp (Author), Laurence Perrine (Contributor), Laurence Perrine (Author) ISBN: 978-0155030282 Pub. Date: January 1, 1997 Publisher: Harcourt Brace College Publishers; 9th edition (It appears that the latest edition is 11th.)

One of my kids is a good poet and I found myself not capable of appreciating her works. No matter, Dad, we can fix that. She told me to buy this book about 2 and half years ago. This is definitely a personal record of longest time to finish a book. On average, it took me about 3 days to finish one page. Through those pages, I met Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, John Donne, and Linda Pastan.

When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming
with laughter,
the hair flapping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye.

It turns out western poetry is much similar to Chinese. Except that, like Haiku, Chinese poems are almost entirely of fixed forms with strict rules on meter and rythm. From a text book on western poetry appreciation, I learned to appreciate poetry.

I do have many miles to go...