President Kennedy's Favorite Poem

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Professors

MEMBERS

2 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

College Professors Chatboard

President Kennedy's Favorite Poem

by ProfHParkersonJD

Nov 16, 2014

resident Kennedy’s Favorite Poem

"It is fitting, perhaps to quote President Kennedy's favorite poem:

"Young man, I have seen you strolling In the stillness of the Park. Day after day, hand in pocket Of the slim, familiar jacket, Twilight into dark.

"I have come to know your whistle, Know your collie, know your cap; Have see the straggling sunlight hold you, Watched the emerald grass enfold you, In its loving lap.

"With your lichened switch I see you Flick the mushrooms in your way. And I know what you are thinking. Would that, through the soft mist falling, You could hear a stranger calling: ‘Stay!’."

(If anyone knows the name of the poet, please notify Hardy Parkerson (337) 478-4370; Cell (337) 802-4041. THANKS!)

Interpretation of this Poem:

"This poem, like all good poems, tells many stories. Volumes of meaningful phrases could be written on the stories of this verse. "The two most outstanding illustrations are the ...See Moreresident Kennedy’s Favorite Poem

"It is fitting, perhaps to quote President Kennedy's favorite poem:

"Young man, I have seen you strolling In the stillness of the Park. Day after day, hand in pocket Of the slim, familiar jacket, Twilight into dark.

"I have come to know your whistle, Know your collie, know your cap; Have see the straggling sunlight hold you, Watched the emerald grass enfold you, In its loving lap.

"With your lichened switch I see you Flick the mushrooms in your way. And I know what you are thinking. Would that, through the soft mist falling, You could hear a stranger calling: ‘Stay!’."

(If anyone knows the name of the poet, please notify Hardy Parkerson (337) 478-4370; Cell (337) 802-4041. THANKS!)

Interpretation of this Poem:

"This poem, like all good poems, tells many stories. Volumes of meaningful phrases could be written on the stories of this verse. "The two most outstanding illustrations are the personalities of the observed and the observer. The poem opens the window into the character of these two.

"Another vision which unfolds are the wonderful pictures of nature, adjectival without border.

"Most value, beyond a doubt, will be found in the analysis, and here vanity and frustration must take over; for the timid soul of the analyzer sees no difference in the scene from any we may pause to observe in this busy world." -J.D. Parkerson

Another Interpretation of this Poem

"In this poem I envison a young man who walks with his collie every evening through a park like Central Park in New York, perhaps overlooked by a large apartment building; and as he strolls through the park in the late afternoon, just before dark, an old person who lives in one of the high-rise apartments looks out of his or her window and watches him. The elderly person has become accustomed to seeing the boy and his dog each evening, and the old person looks forward to seeing him each day and hates when the boy and his dog pass out of sight or when the darkness of evening falls." -Hardy Parkerson

Comment

(5)

report post

English Teacher Where did you encounter this poem? When I googled the first couple of lines, the only search results were sites where you have posted it. So how did you come across it without also seeing the author's name?

On 11/16/14, ProfHParkersonJD wrote: > President Kennedy’s Favorite Poem > > "It is fitting, perhaps to quote President Ke...See MoreWhere did you encounter this poem? When I googled the first couple of lines, the only search results were sites where you have posted it. So how did you come across it without also seeing the author's name?

On 11/16/14, ProfHParkersonJD wrote: > President Kennedy’s Favorite Poem > > "It is fitting, perhaps to quote President Kennedy's > favorite poem: > > "Young man, I have seen you strolling > In the stillness of the Park. > Day after day, hand in pocket > Of the slim, familiar jacket, > Twilight into dark. > > "I have come to know your whistle, > Know your collie, know your cap; > Have see the straggling sunlight hold you, > Watched the emerald grass enfold you, > In its loving lap. > > "With your lichened switch I see you > Flick the mushrooms in your way. > And I know what you are thinking. > Would that, through the soft mist falling, > You could hear a stranger calling: > ‘Stay!’." > > (If anyone knows the name of the poet, please > notify Hardy Parkerson (337) 478-4370; Cell (337) 802- 4041. > THANKS!) > > > > Interpretation of this Poem: > > "This poem, like all good poems, tells many > stories. Volumes of meaningful phrases could be written on > the stories of this verse. > "The two most outstanding illustrations are the > personalities of the observed and the observer. The poem > opens the window into the character of these two. > > "Another vision which unfolds are the wonderful > pictures of nature, adjectival without border. > > "Most value, beyond a doubt, will be found in the > analysis, and here vanity and frustration must take over; > for the timid soul of the analyzer sees no difference in > the scene from any we may pause to observe in this busy > world." -J.D. Parkerson > > Another Interpretation of this Poem > > "In this poem I envison a young man who walks with > his collie every evening through a park like Central Park > in New York, perhaps overlooked by a large apartment > building; and as he strolls through the park in the late > afternoon, just before dark, an old person who lives in one > of the high-rise apartments looks out of his or her window > and watches him. The elderly person has become accustomed > to seeing the boy and his dog each evening, and the old > person looks forward to seeing him each day and hates when > the boy and his dog pass out of sight or when the darkness > of evening falls." -Hardy Parkerson > > >

Nov 16, 2014

report post

ProfHParkersonJD My father--I do believe I remember correctly--had a newspaper clipping with this poem quoted in it, going back upwards of fifty years or more; and I believe that he wrote his comments while he was enrolled in a college course at Stephen F. Austin-- now University--at Nacogdoches, TX. I believe that over the years I may have been the one who put the...See MoreMy father--I do believe I remember correctly--had a newspaper clipping with this poem quoted in it, going back upwards of fifty years or more; and I believe that he wrote his comments while he was enrolled in a college course at Stephen F. Austin-- now University--at Nacogdoches, TX. I believe that over the years I may have been the one who put the word "Stay" in quotation marks and added the exclamation mark.

Sincerely,

ProfHParkersonJD

On 11/16/14, English Teacher wrote: > Where did you encounter this poem? When I googled the first > couple of lines, the only search results were sites where > you have posted it. So how did you come across it without > also seeing the author's name? > > > On 11/16/14, ProfHParkersonJD wrote: >> President Kennedy’s Favorite Poem >> >> "It is fitting, perhaps to quote President Kennedy's >> favorite poem: >> >> "Young man, I have seen you strolling >> In the stillness of the Park. >> Day after day, hand in pocket >> Of the slim, familiar jacket, >> Twilight into dark. >> >> "I have come to know your whistle, >> Know your collie, know your cap; >> Have see the straggling sunlight hold you, >> Watched the emerald grass enfold you, >> In its loving lap. >> >> "With your lichened switch I see you >> Flick the mushrooms in your way. >> And I know what you are thinking. >> Would that, through the soft mist falling, >> You could hear a stranger calling: >> ‘Stay!’." >> >> (If anyone knows the name of the poet, please >> notify Hardy Parkerson (337) 478-4370; Cell (337) 802- > 4041. >> THANKS!) >> >> >> >> Interpretation of this Poem: >> >> "This poem, like all good poems, tells many >> stories. Volumes of meaningful phrases could be written > on >> the stories of this verse. >> "The two most outstanding illustrations are the >> personalities of the observed and the observer. The poem >> opens the window into the character of these two. >> >> "Another vision which unfolds are the wonderful >> pictures of nature, adjectival without border. >> >> "Most value, beyond a doubt, will be found in the >> analysis, and here vanity and frustration must take over; >> for the timid soul of the analyzer sees no difference in >> the scene from any we may pause to observe in this busy >> world." -J.D. Parkerson >> >> Another Interpretation of this Poem >> >> "In this poem I envison a young man who walks with >> his collie every evening through a park like Central Park >> in New York, perhaps overlooked by a large apartment >> building; and as he strolls through the park in the late >> afternoon, just before dark, an old person who lives in > one >> of the high-rise apartments looks out of his or her > window >> and watches him. The elderly person has become accustomed >> to seeing the boy and his dog each evening, and the old >> person looks forward to seeing him each day and hates > when >> the boy and his dog pass out of sight or when the > darkness >> of evening falls." -Hardy Parkerson >> >> >>

Nov 20, 2014

report post

pixie Caroline Kennedy published a book of her mother's favorite poems. Maybe you could write to her and ask her.

On 11/20/14, ProfHParkersonJD wrote: > My father--I do believe I remember correctly--had a newspaper > clipping with this poem quoted in it, going back upwards of > fifty years or more; and I believe that he wrote his commen...See MoreCaroline Kennedy published a book of her mother's favorite poems. Maybe you could write to her and ask her.

On 11/20/14, ProfHParkersonJD wrote: > My father--I do believe I remember correctly--had a newspaper > clipping with this poem quoted in it, going back upwards of > fifty years or more; and I believe that he wrote his comments > while he was enrolled in a college course at Stephen F. Austin-- > now University--at Nacogdoches, TX. I believe that over the > years I may have been the one who put the word "Stay" in > quotation marks and added the exclamation mark. > > Sincerely, > > ProfHParkersonJD > > > On 11/16/14, English Teacher wrote: >> Where did you encounter this poem? When I googled the first >> couple of lines, the only search results were sites where >> you have posted it. So how did you come across it without >> also seeing the author's name? >> >> >> On 11/16/14, ProfHParkersonJD wrote: >>> President Kennedy’s Favorite Poem >>> >>> "It is fitting, perhaps to quote President Kennedy's >>> favorite poem: >>> >>> "Young man, I have seen you strolling >>> In the stillness of the Park. >>> Day after day, hand in pocket >>> Of the slim, familiar jacket, >>> Twilight into dark. >>> >>> "I have come to know your whistle, >>> Know your collie, know your cap; >>> Have see the straggling sunlight hold you, >>> Watched the emerald grass enfold you, >>> In its loving lap. >>> >>> "With your lichened switch I see you >>> Flick the mushrooms in your way. >>> And I know what you are thinking. >>> Would that, through the soft mist falling, >>> You could hear a stranger calling: >>> ‘Stay!’." >>> >>> (If anyone knows the name of the poet, please >>> notify Hardy Parkerson (337) 478-4370; Cell (337) 802- >> 4041. >>> THANKS!) >>> >>> >>> >>> Interpretation of this Poem: >>> >>> "This poem, like all good poems, tells many >>> stories. Volumes of meaningful phrases could be written >> on >>> the stories of this verse. >>> "The two most outstanding illustrations are the >>> personalities of the observed and the observer. The poem >>> opens the window into the character of these two. >>> >>> "Another vision which unfolds are the wonderful >>> pictures of nature, adjectival without border. >>> >>> "Most value, beyond a doubt, will be found in the >>> analysis, and here vanity and frustration must take over; >>> for the timid soul of the analyzer sees no difference in >>> the scene from any we may pause to observe in this busy >>> world." -J.D. Parkerson >>> >>> Another Interpretation of this Poem >>> >>> "In this poem I envison a young man who walks with >>> his collie every evening through a park like Central Park >>> in New York, perhaps overlooked by a large apartment >>> building; and as he strolls through the park in the late >>> afternoon, just before dark, an old person who lives in >> one >>> of the high-rise apartments looks out of his or her >> window >>> and watches him. The elderly person has become accustomed >>> to seeing the boy and his dog each evening, and the old >>> person looks forward to seeing him each day and hates >> when >>> the boy and his dog pass out of sight or when the >> darkness >>> of evening falls." -Hardy Parkerson >>> >>> >>>

Nov 21, 2014

report post

Kiong-tschan Jin Hi Hardy,

I also have searched this poem's author for 50 years. I have read it first in the Englsh World magazine of South Korea when I was a middle school student in Seoul. I remember the author was an old female introduced by the editor of the magazine. And I remember the first line is not "in the stillness of the park", but &q...See More

Jul 21, 2015

report post