Two Poems by Felicia Nimue Ackerman

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr.

Spend an Afternoon with Annie

Annie’s always calm and cheerful,
Speaks no ill of friend or foe,
Always prudent and productive,
Meets temptation with a no.

Never gossips, never grumbles,
Eats fresh fruit instead of cake.
Spend an afternoon with Annie–
See how long you stay awake.


Lenore in the Sunlight

I wake at dawn and face the sun,
Whose rays caress my head.
I glory in the morning light,
Though I can’t leave my bed.

My will is strong, my body weak.
Please help me stay alive.
It’s much too soon for me to die;  
I’m only ninety-five.

“Spend an Afternoon with Annie” and “Lenore in the Sunlight” first appeared in The Providence Journal.




Felicia Nimue Ackerman is a professor of philosophy at Brown University and has had over 230 poems published in a wide range of places, including several in past issues of Sparks of Calliope.

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Published by Randal A. Burd, Jr.

Randal A. Burd, Jr. is the editor of Sparks of Calliope. A Pushcart Prize nominee, his 2nd collection was "Memoirs of a Witness Tree" (Kelsay Books, 2020). Randal has published poetry in numerous literary journals, both online and in print. Follow him on X: @colonelrandal.

5 thoughts on “Two Poems by Felicia Nimue Ackerman”

    1. I think fearing death makes perfect sense. A bedridden 95-year-old may have excellent reason to cling to life. She may be enjoying her family and her daydreams as well as reading and listening to music. Please help her stay alive!!

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  2. I think fearing death makes perfect sense. A bedridden 95-year-old may have excellent reason to cling to life. She may be enjoying her family and her daydreams as well as reading and listening to music. Please help her stay alive!!

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