Recipe For Happiness

Recipe For Happiness
Khaborovsk Or Anyplace
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti


One grand boulevard with trees
with one grand cafe in sun
with strong black coffee in very small cups.


One not necessarily very beautiful
man or woman who loves you.


One fine day.


I wonder about the meaning of the last line. What do you think:
Is today a very fine day indeed? Or is Ferlinghetti talking about
one fine day in the future when he might experience this idyllic
café scene? Is he remembering a day when he was truly happy? Or
is he being just slightly sarcastic about this “quick and easy”
recipe for happiness? I think it’s completely up to you.


I hadn’t quite made up my mind about what the line meant when I
read it for this recording, and you can tell, can’t you? Change
the meaning of the line and poem, and your intonation will
change, too. So come on, you can do better: First decide what the
line means to you, and then read the poem out loud. If you have
the means of recording it, please do, and send me the link,
ok?


The post Recipe For Happiness first appeared on Anne Hodgson.