This April marks the 30th iteration of National Poetry Month, which was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996. To celebrate, the Literary Hub staff will be recommending one great poem to read every (work) day of the month. We make no claim (except when we do) that these poems are the “best” poems in any category; they are simply poems we love. The only other thing they all have in common is that they are available to read for free online, so you can enjoy them along with us. The internet is still good for some things, after all. Today we recommend:
Carson Jordan’s “Permiso”
When Carson Jordan writes about god, she means it like gesturing with both hands outstretched to draw attention to the things in front of you and above you and millions of miles away. Her concept of god finds subjects of worship in objects, beloveds, emotions, the passage of time. In this sense, “Permiso” is a god poem. I live for words and images I don’t expect, and Carson never disappoints on that front. “Permiso” expands the scope of godhood to shampoo bottles and strawberries while delivering killer lines like “my heart is juiced to sin.” I dream of writing lines that go as hard.
There is so much selfhood in this poem: what the narrator wants to be, what the narrator does, who the narrator becomes, what the narrator searches for. To me, “Permiso” honors the beauty of human helplessness in the face of a universe whose chaos can manifest as both love and punishment. After all, “God is always petting you / without permission.”
Read the full poem here.
