美国国家公共电台 NPR--Wrapped in a blanket, this cozy community poem celebrates rest and relaxation

Wrapped in a blanket, this cozy¹ community poem celebrates rest and relaxation²

Transcript³

NPR Poet in Residence Kwame Alexander recently challenged listeners to write a poem about napping, or anything related, sleeping, dreaming, relaxing....

One thing we confirmed, hundreds of you spend a lot of time thinking about rest and relaxation.

From school kids to the elderly, we received over 1,200 poems from across the country.

Here's Alexander's latest community crowd-sourced poem.

It's called a Blanket of Words.

If I Could...

I would like us to take a break I would like us to contemplate⁴ How much better we all are with rest.

I would like to take a restoring nap upon my king size bed. to pile my pillows all around my head A soft warm handmade quilt, my cozy nook to curl up with my favorite book

into a blanket of words

Let's read each other bedtime stories as I drift into unconsciousness Disconnecting from today

I would like to pause just for a few precious moments to calm my mind to slide from my world of lists and piles of laundry, of last night's dishes in the sink

I would like to rest But I have a test. I would like to sleep But my work is too deep.

I would like to give in to the pull of my eyelids⁶ Begging to close But the email in front of me Deserves a reply So I sigh deeply and shrug⁷ Resisting their tug⁸ And attempt once again To compose

I would like to hideaway for a bit of shuteye in the middle of the day to the soft quiet spaces of the old couch before the fire, dogs snoring at my feet, new snow drifting outside my window,

I would like to lay my head, On a pillow, soft as a featherbed, And let my body sink into repose⁹, As my eyelids slowly close.

I would like to, pull the pinpoint¹⁰ stars down from the sky, I'd weave soft moonbeams through them,

to climb the stairs my imagination made I would like to be a bird, unburdened, I would like to be me, unbound.

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I just want to nap And wonder And wander

And dream

Of letting go, ego¹¹ dissolving, like honey in tea.

dreams where we can be everything we've ever wanted to be I would like to be asleep. In my bed. Unable to access the dread¹² in my head.

In my dreams food, money, and life lack relevance¹³

And I would play with magic monkeys.

I would like to live in a world where we dream when we fall asleep And do not face a nightmare when we wake

When I was a little girl, I had dreams of powers that could change the world, In my dreams I could fly, Now I'm seventeen, and I no longer dream that I could be a fairy queen, I have dreams where I'm invisible and no one can see me

I would like answers:

Why do we do what we do? Why do we learn how we do? We are no longer curious We are no longer present.

Exhausted¹⁴, zombies roaming the streets Toiling¹⁵ with no end in sight We work to eat We eat to live We live to work

Real life beckons¹⁶ with every sheep we try to count, and When my head hits the pillow The whole world falls away.

I would like to rest my shoulders

from their stand at attention, my brain from constantly narrating¹⁷,

I would like to, but I can't right now. Too much to do, not the right time. I have work to do, Places to be But what if I just flee, And sleep endlessly.

I would like to see you try. A moment of nothing, Ceaseless wonder, Boundless¹⁸ floors. Infinite possibilities, And a thousand more.

I would like to find you in my dream

to hear your voice again Whistling wisdom and wit Stories and songs

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scents¹⁹ of freedom, molecules²⁰ of unconditional²¹ love,

I would like to meet you in the space between asleep and awake where we belong to both worlds and yet owe nothing to either place

I would like to feel again the familiar sensation of my hand in yours as we walked in strange and scary places while my heart beats loudly

I would like to listen more closely than the arrogant²² child that I was who often dismissed your speech as dated and irrelevant²³ I would like to travel in a time machine to before the years passed and you died of old age to apologize to you,

Most of all though, I would like to hear your joyful²⁴ exhalation — brief and unmistakable — you're the only one I've ever known to laugh even in your sleep.

I would like to awaken²⁵ in the afternoon sun, Soft fingertips lifting an eyelid⁵ Your sweet voice, "Daddy! Daddy! You in there?"

If I could,

I would like to Feel good.

Lay on the clouds and not fall through.

I would like to surrender.

I would like to rest in peace,

I would like to rest my heart From the daily stabs of an unkind world

I would like to forget the faces whose judgements crowd my mind

I would like to be your pillow The firmness to support you, The softness to embrace you,

I would like to awaken and find it's spring, I would like to be remembered as a fearless dreamer

I would like to shut my eyes and Open my heart to nap, wrapped in silence

I would like to Lay down in my bed. Wake up better.

Rise, ready to battle the challenges every day brings. And then I would like to have another cup of coffee, greet

The birdsongs

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The willow²⁶ trees

The warmth of the sun

I would like to meet

The bright new day Embraced in love, refreshed, anew, ready to change the world But first I will dream I will dream of the world I will change

And then, I will change it But for now I would like to dream.

This community poem was created using submissions by:

James Breeden, Durham, NC

Doug Thiele, Norfolk, VA

Megan Dixon, Milwaukee, WI

Michael Ceran, Charlotte, NC

Kaley Burke, Missoula

Lee Robinson, Comfort, TX

Samantha McCulloch, Washington, DC

Erin Lupold, Mount Hebron High School

Grace Russell, Pineville, NC

Ellen Somers, Syracuse, NY

Pippa Mahmood, Ca

Michael L Guss, Stone Mountain, GA

Kit Collard, Mesa, AZ

Kieralyn Kennington, AZ

Carrie Granato, Clearwater Beach, FL

Niki Cruickshank, San Carlos, CA

Citlaly Espinosa Silvestre, Mesa, AZ

Ashley Mitchell, San Carlos, CA

Eleanna Swartz, San Carlos, CA

Dan Grote, US Pennitentiary Canaan, Waymart, PA

Emily Mack, Grand Rapids, MI

Anna VanderLaan, Ann Arbor, MI

Katie Le, Reston, VA

Felicito Fernando, Tennessee

Alyssa Weedon, Ca

Whitney Lewis, Atlanta, GA

Terrence Parker, Maine

Anand Karnad, San Antonio, TX

Priyanka Singh, San Francisco, CA

1 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

2 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

5 eyelid   

n.眼睑，眼皮

参考例句：

• She lifted one eyelid to see what he was doing.她抬起一只眼皮看看他在做什么。
• My eyelid has been tumid since yesterday.从昨天起，我的眼皮就肿了。

6 eyelids   

n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色

参考例句：

• She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 shrug   

v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)

参考例句：

• With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
• I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。

8 tug   

v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船

参考例句：

• We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
• The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。

9 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

10 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

11 ego   

n.自我，自己，自尊

参考例句：

• He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
• She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

12 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

13 relevance   

n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性

参考例句：

• Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
• Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。

14 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

15 toiling   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• The fiery orator contrasted the idle rich with the toiling working classes. 这位激昂的演说家把无所事事的富人同终日辛劳的工人阶级进行了对比。
• She felt like a beetle toiling in the dust. She was filled with repulsion. 她觉得自己像只甲虫在地里挣扎，心中涌满愤恨。

16 beckons   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He sent his ships wherever profit beckons. 他将船队派往赢利的那些地方。 来自辞典例句
• I believe history beckons again. 我认为现在历史又在召唤了。 来自辞典例句

17 narrating   

v.故事( narrate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She entertained them by narrating her adventures in Africa. 她讲述她在非洲的历险来使他们开心。
• [Mike Narrating] Worm and I fall into our old rhythm like Clyde Frazier and Pearl Monroe. [迈克叙述] 虫子和我配合得象以前一样默契我们两好象是克莱德。弗瑞泽和佩尔。门罗。 来自电影对白

18 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

19 scents   

n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉

参考例句：

• The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
• The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

21 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

22 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

23 irrelevant   

adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的

参考例句：

• That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。
• A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

24 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

25 awaken   

vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起

参考例句：

• Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。
• Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

26 willow   

n.柳树

参考例句：

• The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。
• The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。