![\"](\"http:\/\/planetwordmuseum.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AdrienneRaphelSquare.jpg\")
Photo of Adrienne Raphel by Randy H. Goodman<\/p><\/div>\n
In the end, Adrienne also helped us come to terms with our conundrum:<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t have every poem in the world,\u201d she said, \u201cbut you can at least be illustrative of lots of different kinds of poems.\u201d<\/p>\n
With that in mind, Adrienne worked with our team to compose a list of 50 poems that span centuries, forms, moods, and reflect many different perspectives on the human experience. She helped us identify silly poems and poignant poems, mysterious poems and love poems, poems that appeal to children and adults, poems that rhyme, and poems that ring and rock. From lines of the ancient epic Beowulf<\/em> to a piece by current U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, these poems will take visitors on a broad journey through the pleasures of words.<\/p>\n The poems will live in an oval nook on Planet Word\u2019s second floor, about halfway through the museum experience. In what we\u2019re calling \u201cWord Surround,\u201d visitors will discover a contemplative space, tucked away from the energy and bustle of the other galleries. As visitors sit and relax, poems will appear on the walls surrounding them, each line of poetry appearing and then fading away as they are read, one by one, allowing visitors to completely immerse themselves in the words and their messages.<\/p>\n Although visitors are welcome to sit and enjoy each and every poem (for a listening experience that will last about an hour and fifteen minutes), we expect most visitors will pause to listen to just a handful of poems on any one visit. That way, each time they return, they\u2019ll have a different experience and discover new, wonderful works. They might be greeted by the playful rhymes of Shel Silverstein\u2019s \u201cSick\u201d or the complex, catchy rhythms of Tracie Morris\u2019s \u201cProject Princess,\u201d performed by the poet herself in a brand-new recording made just for Planet Word.<\/p>\n Whether they stay for one poem, a few poems, or all 50, we\u2019re sure that Word Surround will help visitors experience the unparalleled power and beauty of poetry.<\/p>\n Poems can uplift, inspire, challenge, and change us. A poet\u2019s careful use of words can bring us comfort or stir outrage in the face of injustice. In short, a poem…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":1416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[48],"class_list":["post-1433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-planet-word","tag-galleries"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWord Surround<\/h4>\n