As part of April's National Poetry Month celebration, the American Academy of Poets declared April 18, 2019 Poem in Your Pocket Day.  The City asked me to participate and tote a poem in my pocket to share.  In selecting a poem, I wanted it to be fun and relevant.  Ultimately, I chose to carry "Why Viking Lander? Why the Planet Mars?" by Ray Bradbury.  While best known for his novels (Farenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, I Sing the Body Electric, etc...), he was also a prolific poet.  This particular poem was first published in Star*Reach #6, a sci-fi comic book series.  He first recited it at the 1976 San Diego Comic Con.  What a neat idea: combining art, narrative writing, poetry, and fandom!!!  It was later republished in his Poetry Anthology called "They Have Not Seen the Stars: The Collected Poetry of Ray Bradbury" (Stealth Press, 2001),  (available from the wonderful Brevard County Libraries).  The poem is better to read yourself, but for those desirous of hearing it with a little twang, here is the video (and yes, that is an Edgar Allan Poe shirt):



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