Quietly I sit.
Watch lips move
on him and her.
I'm practicing,
you see-- to be
a good listener.
I was reading Hilton Als' column CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK in an old issue of THE NEW YORKER, magazine that I hadn't read yet. He ended his column with, "Waters has redefined yet another genre, and reengaged our interest in the power of listening." This got me to thinking about the power of listening. What qualities are involved in being a good listener? How might that give you power? If you had to choose, would you rather be known as a good listener or a good speaker. I have a friend who is active in Toastmasters because she wants to do presentations and be a good speaker. But I don't know any clubs to help people be better listeners. Your challenge for today is to write your own poem about the qualities of a good listener.
