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Poetically Yours - The magic of numbers

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Welcome to Poetically Yours. Poetically Yours showcases poems by northern Illinois poets. This segment features Josh Price.

Price was born on the banks of Rock River., which he calls the muddy water blood, native limestone bones, prairie soil flesh, raised on its shores. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn 150 years later. Came of age with the Beats and learned the power of the written and spoken word.

Since river towns are winged towns, he took off and flew West as a young man, to grow up with the country.

Price said he witnessed this world as many splendored things,

again, and again. “They say you can never go home again...yet, here I am,” he said.

Here’s his poem “Counting Song.”

I'll sing one

If you sing one, too,

and then we'll sing one together, me and you

Microphone check. One, two

Three is a magic number, the heart, the mind, and the body,

Four winds to blow you home, wherever that may be

Five for the circle and the Bardic mysteries

Six is a perfect number. A rare thing indeed

Seven for the sisters and sailing earthly seas

Eight for Fibonacci and Sanskrit poetry

Nine for the Muses invoking Calliope

Ten for Sodom and Gomorrah, where they searched but could not find that many

Eleven for Apollo, landing in the Sea of Tranquility

Twelve for midnight, when the dice comes up lucky

Thirteen brings new beginnings for you and for me.

I'll sing one

If you sing one, too

Then we'll sing one together

Me and you