Wednesday, December 20, 2017

101 Books, Number 87

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life


87. Cat’s Cradle, 1963, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922–2007)

We share a birthday, Kurt and I*—
Which flatters me (and so I sigh!).
I read this book in ’66–
A college senior—with the picks

Of books for Dr. Ravitz’ class—
A prof whose class I hoped to pass—
Oh, sure, I can exaggerate—
But Dr. Ravitz? He was great.

That book I really just inhaled—
And off I went, and off I sailed
Into the world of Vonnegut,
Who then (no if, no and, no but)

Became a lifetime love of mine—
Though all his books weren’t truly fine.
But this one! Oh! The first I read
Just simply rearranged my head.

I saw such possibility
In fiction then. A change for me.
Ice-9 was great! The end of all!
The sky becoming our own pall.

And yet … I laughed when it was done—
Just so much pleasure so much fun
Mixed in with satire pure and keen—
The sharpest I had ever seen.


*Nov. 11, but he came first—by some 22 years!

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