Stickiness, memorability is one sign of a good poem. You hear it and a day later some of it is still there in the brainpan.–Garrison Keillor

I checked Garrison Keillor’s anthology Good Poems out of the library, and it does indeed have some good poems. Unfortunately, I can’t post many of my favorites here because they’re copyright protected. If I understand correctly, I can read these modern day poems out loud to you. I can type one up and carry it around in my pocket. I can link to the poem if it’s posted somewhere else (legally) on the internet. However, I can’t share the poem with you by posting it on my blog unless I get permission to do so from the copyright holder (more trouble than most bloggers would want to take).
I understand the reason for this law. I understand that writers would like to be compensated for their work. I also understand that authors feel entitled to get credit for their writing and that they don’t want me making their poem into something else.
On the other hand, there’s something called “Fair Use,” which is more complicated than I can understand. It may mean you can use a poem if you don’t use too much of it or too many poems by the same author and if your purpose is to educate or comment. Maybe. It also seems to me that some poets would be happy to have a poem posted on someone’s blog and recommended by the blogger. Someone who is reading might actually go out and buy (pay real money for) the poet’s work.

So . . . I’m going to try to stay legal and ethical here by posting only poems that are no longer copyright-protected, but if I make a mistake, I apologize in advance. And without further ado, here’s your old, legal, sticky poem for today:

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he’s a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he’s to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.

Classify this one under LOVE–or DEPRESSION. Carpe diem.