Rebecca's Reading Room

S6 E4: Dear March - Come In by Emily Dickinson March brings balance. It strips judgement of its urgency. Once this guest has arrived, trifles fall away. What matters is presence, not verdict. “Dear March—Come in—” reminds us that some moments should not be rushed or improved upon. Some seasons are meant to be welcomed, sat with, listened to. March is not yet bloom, not yet abundance—but it is esse...

S6 E3: Where Stories Sit Beside Us Welcome. I’m so glad you’ve found your way here. Rebecca’s Reading Room is a place for readers who don’t just read books, but take them somewhere. Into parks. On to benches. Beneath trees. Into moments where the world softens and the page begins to breathe alongside us. A few years ago, I was sitting in a park with a book in my hands, the kind of book that announ...

S6 E2: Celebrating Robert Burns Every January 25, Burns suppers are held all over the world—around kitchen tables, in community halls, and wherever people gather to honour words that have endured. Today, we’re celebrating Robert Burns, affectionately known as Rabbie Burns—the great Scottish poet and lyricist. Burns has been given many honourary titles over the years: the Bard of Scotland, the Plou...

S6 E1:A Long, Long Sleep, A Famous Sleep by Emily Dickinson (Poem 582) A long, long sleep, a famous sleep That makes no show for dawn By stretch of limb or stir of lid,— An independent one. Was ever idleness like this? Within a hut of stone To bask the centuries away Nor once look up for noon? There is something both eerie and tender in these eight lines. Emily Dickinson’s poem opens with the rhyt...

S5 E18: The Elephant Child by D. Wallace Peach © An elephant child, carefree and wild Walked into the wintry woods He followed fox tails and jackrabbit trails Ignoring his mother’s “shoulds” Of course, he got lost and chilled by the frost As night began to fall To his rump he sunk and tooted his trunk But no one answered his call Oh, that cold night, to the elephant fright The clouds began to snow...

S5 E17 October By Robert Frost O hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all. The crows above the forest call; Tomorrow they may form and go. O hushed October morning mild, Begin the hours of this day slow. Make the day seem to us less brief. Hearts not averse to being beguiled, Beguile us in the way you know. Release one...

S5 EX: Celebrating Halloween with Carl Sandburg Happy Halloween! Why do we love Halloween? Maybe it’s the thrill of shadows, the whispered stories of ghosts and goblins, or the sheer joy of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary with costumes, pumpkins, and flickering candles. Halloween is a night where imagination takes the lead — where even the wind seems to carry secrets. Tonight, I’m...

S5 E16: Letting Go – A Reflection on Sara Teasdale’s Poem, “Leaves” “One by one my leaves fall. As the wind wills I let them go.” So begins Sara Teasdale’s quietly powerful poem Leaves. With just two lines, she opens a meditation on release — not as an act of despair, but as an act of grace. Teasdale often wrote at the edges of feeling, where the heart meets the natural world. In Leaves, she surre...

S5 E15: Happy Birthday Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Today, August 28, 1749, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Poet, playwright, novelist, philosopher, scientist — Goethe embodied the boundless energy of creativity. His words carried the currents of human longing, joy, and striving into every corner of life. Centuries later, we still turn to him, not out of duty to th...

S5 E14: Benediction by Georgia Douglas Johnson There are moments in life when we are called to let go — not out of indifference, but out of deep, abiding love. Georgia Douglas Johnson’s Benediction captures such a moment with tenderness and strength. It is the voice of an elder, perhaps a parent or mentor, sending their beloved into the world with a heart full of hope and release. When I first rea...

S5 E13 The Valuable Time of Maturity by Mário Raul de Morais Andrade One of my first poetry recitation was the poem, “The Valuable Time of Maturity,” by the Brazilian literary giant Mário Raul de Morais Andrade. This piece found its serendipitous way to me through an email from my mother. Its heartfelt messages resonated deeply within me. As I navigate through life’s complexities, I find that Andr...

S5 E12: As if the Sea should Part by Emily Dickinson The poem "As If The Sea Should Part" by Emily Dickinson delves into the concept of infinity through the imagery of an infinite ocean. The speaker envisions the sea parting to reveal further seas, symbolizing an endless sequence and emphasizing the vastness of the natural world, ultimately questioning the limits of human perception. In...

S5 E11: Facing My Fears: A Poetry Meditation by Colleen M. Chesbro Fear is a powerful emotion that arises in response to perceived threats or dangers. It is an instinct that has evolved to protect us from harm. When we encounter something that triggers fear, our bodies prepare us for fight or flight. Facing My Fears by Colleen M Chesebro offers a poetry meditation on the power of releasing our anx...

S5 E10: Dorothy Dances by Louis Untermeyer Louis Untermeyer’s poem “Dorothy Dances” captures the essence of youthful exuberance and the fleeting nature of joy. The poem vividly portrays the character of Dorothy, who embodies innocence and a carefree spirit. Through rich imagery and rhythmic cadence, Untermeyer captures the dance as a metaphor for life’s ephemeral moments. “Dorothy Dances” invites...

S5 E9: Sunshine After by Josephine D Heard Josephine Delphine Henderson Heard, an American poet linked to the Harlem Renaissance, made significant literary contributions that connect to earlier Black American writing traditions. Her poetry, characterized by directness and traditional forms like sonnets and ballads, explores themes of nature, faith, and racial identity, mirroring the sociopolitical...

S5 E8: Celebrating Earth Day 2025 with Henry David Thoreau Each year on Earth Day, I read from Henry David Thoreau’s famous work, Walden. My copy of Walden was a gift from my father which allows me to celebrate Earth Day by remembering our “Walden” conversations from years past. Dad agreed with Thoreau’s insights on living within our world: the importance of simplicity, self-sufficiency, and a dee...

S5 E7: Celebrating National Poetry Month April 2025, Canada celebrates National Poetry Month with a heartfelt theme: family. This theme invites us to explore the intricate connections that define our lives, from the bonds with parents and siblings to the love shared with pets and soulmates. It encourages reflection on friendships that feel like family, even the nurturing of plants that bring life...

S5 E6: A Light Exists In Spring by Emily Elizabeth Dickinson A Light Exists In Spring by Emily Elizabeth Dickinson Spring brings a unique light that awakens the earth and enhances the vibrancy of colours. Greens have a vivid radiance that energizes the spring blooms. As the mist of the new season settles, I feel the gentleness of the serene atmosphere, which invites me to open my arms wide to embr...

S5 E5: Songs for the People by Frances Ellen Watkins Let me make the songs for the people,    Songs for the old and young; Songs to stir like a battle-cry    Wherever they are sung.   Not for the clashing of sabres,    For carnage nor for strife; But songs to thrill the hearts of men    With more abundant life.   Let me make the songs for the weary,    Amid life’s fever and fret, Till hearts shall...

S5 E4 ”Crossing the Bar” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson “Crossing the Bar” is a reflective poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It was first published in 1889, just a few years before the poet’s death. The theme of mortality and the journey from life to death are embedded in these poetic words. “Crossing the Bar” is an extended metaphor to liken death to traversing the “sandbar” that separates the riv...

S5 E3 Woods in Winter by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Reading poetry in the winter offers a unique comfort, as the cold, often bleak environment outside contrasts with the warmth and intimacy found in verse. The act of curling up with a collection of poems allows one to escape into a world of emotion and reflection, where the themes of solitude and introspection resonate deeply during the darker mon...

S5 E2 Surprised by Joy William Wordsworth Surprised by Joy’ is a heart-breaking poem written by William Wordsworth when recalling the grief of his daughter Catherine’s passing. The poem is written in the form of a sonnet, with the first eight lines describing his initial shock and disbelief, and the last six lines expressing his deep sorrow and regret. William Wordsworth experienced a great deal o...

S5 E1: Sea Fever by John Masefield Story-telling is the signature of humanity.  And the very best stories of all come from our poets. John Edward Masefield was a consummate story-teller.  Born in Ledbury in Herefordshire, England on June 1, 1878, he lost his parents at an early age and endured an unhappy education at the King’s School in Warwick. He escaped to the sea on board the HMS Conway for t...

S4 E14: Sarah’s Gift Christmas is a time of gift giving, a moment when we cherish the bonds we share with one another. The gifts that stay fresh in my memory are those that originate from the soul, infused with genuine love and consideration. It’s not always the material items that leave a lasting impression, but the thoughtful gestures that illuminate the true spirit of the season. Several Christ...

S4 E13: Up-Hill by Christina Rossetti - 1830-1894  As I walk along the winding path through a wooded area, I am reminded of Christina Rossetti’s contemplative poem “Up-Hill.” The tranquil surroundings mirror the metaphorical journey of life depicted in the poem. Christina Rossetti’s poem “Up-Hill” reflects on the journey of life using the metaphor of a traveler ascending a difficult road. The poem...