A few days ago, I celebrated my 31st wedding anniversary. Why does this seem so hard to believe? I heard you all gasp! On this day, Amy from The Poem Farm posted a link to Famous, a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, on Facebook. Naomi (I feel we will be friends one day and will be on a first name basis) is a favorite of mine. My husband, however, has never heard of her. This is not surprising because he doesn’t really read poetry, so he is not familiar with any famous poets. But he likes to talk about being famous. It is one of those “familial phrases.”
Let me explain. We live in a small town, so it is not that uncommon for one of us to be in the paper every once in a while. That doesn’t mean we’re famous, but when you see your name in print or see your picture in the newspaper, you feel famous. The phrase around our house is “you are famous” if any part of you is mentioned in the Daily Iberian.
When I read Naomi’s poem, I was compelled to send it to my husband. Maybe because it was our anniversary. Maybe I was flirting. But he actually read it and sent a message back to me. He wrote, “You are famous to me.”
Now I hope you are sighing “Aw!”
The river is famous to the fish.
The loud voice is famous to silence,
which knew it would inherit the earth
before anybody said so.The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds
watching him from the birdhouse.The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.
The idea you carry close to your bosom
is famous to your bosom.The boot is famous to the earth,
more famous than the dress shoe,
which is famous only to floors.(See the entire poem here.)
Poetry Friday is hosted today by Renee at No Water River.
Reflections on the Teche 
[…] Reflections on the Teche, Margaret Simon shares “Famous” by Naomi Shihab-Nye and an accompanying story to make you go […]
Aww! Happy anniversary! I’ve always liked that poem. What good timing Amy has 🙂
I love the idea of being “relatively” famous in this poem. Happy Anniversary. Beautiful post!
Happy Anniversary and thanks for sharing Naomi’s poem.
Happy Anniversary, Margaret! Time does fly, doesn’t it? This poem is new to me, but I love it! That last line, “but because it never forgot what it could do.” is such an important reminder to us all. Thank you for sharing!
Catherine
Love that idea of being ‘famous’ to someone. I saw the poem when Amy posted & am happy you shared again, Margaret, especially with your sweet story. When my family visited my husband’s small town through the years, we were always in the paper, which we took for many years. My children loved it, & thought they were ‘famous’, too. Thanks for the connections!
I just want to read more of her poems. Do you have a favorite collection?
She has a great one for girls called A Maze Me.
I’ve always loved this poem. My husband doesn’t read poetry either. I share my favorites with him, and I think he enjoys them, but he would never read it on his own. Happy Anniversary!
Yes, Margaret, most definitely an aw-worthy post! Happy Anniversary. 🙂
By coincidence I read this poem just two days ago. Not because Amy posted it, though. I read it in the book THE PLACE MY WORDS ARE LOOKING FOR (Paul Janeczko). I, too, love Naomi Shihab Nye’s work… then again, who wouldn’t? She’s a brilliant writer.
I bought that book this summer but didn’t know this poem was in it. Now I have it forever.
Happy anniversary, Margaret! I was thinking about Nye, too, this Poetry Friday. I love the wisdom in her poems.
Definite “awe” with both Nye’s poem and your husband’s response. Lovely. =)
Just snagged Naomi’s poem to use with my students the first week of school!
Happy Anniversary! I only gasp at 31 because it is so rare and beautiful.
Congratulations on 31 years, Margaret! Your husband may not read poetry, but he has a poetic soul! Thanks for sharing!
Happy happy late anniversary, Margaret! This post made feel so happy. You and your husband have been married for so long because of beautiful stories like this. Congratulations! xo!
Happy Anniversary! Treat each day as an anniversary. . . love like there is no tomorrow.