In Defense of Poetry: The Haven House for Homeless Women and Children.

• Author: Schmidt, Lauren
• Position: Poem

In Defense of Poetry The Haven House for Homeless Women and Children come celebrate with me that every day something has tried to kill me and has failed. --Lucille Clifton To you who say poetry is a waste of ten homeless mothers' time-- that I should correct their grammar and spelling, spit-shine their speech so it gleams, make them sound more like me, that I should set a bucket of Yes, Miss, Thank You, and Whatever you say, Miss on their heads, fill that bucket heavy, tell them how to tip-toe to keep it steady, that I should give them something they can truly use, like diapers, food, or boots-- I say you've never seen these women lower their noses over poetry, as if praying the...