Poems with Lois Letchford (and Matthew) - No Smoking

2 Dec 2020 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:32

In this brief YouTube segment, Lois Letchford introduces herself as the author of Reverse Memoir and Literacy Problem Solver and announces that she and Matthew will read a poem from Jack Pilchucki’s Pilchucki Poems, Dragon Poems. Matthew then recites the poem “No Smoking,” which depicts a shy, reluctant dragon being coaxed to produce a puff of smoke. The dragon repeatedly refuses, expressing shyness, lack of toughness, and uncertainty, while the speakers encourage it. The piece blends whimsical fantasy imagery with themes of vulnerability, peer pressure, and the struggle to meet expectations.

Yeah.
Hello, I'm Lois Letchford, author of the book Reverse Memoir and Literacy Problem Solver, and Matthew is reading today from Jack Pilchucki's Pilchucki Poems, Dragon Poems. Over to you, Matthew.
I'm Matthew and I'm going to be reading No Smoking. Blow us a bonfire, dragon, light up the sky. But the dragon blushed to his scaly tail and whispered, I'm shy. Give us a puff of— give us a puff, please, dragon. Just one small puff. But the dragon paled to his scaly tail and whispered, I don't— I'm not tough. Show us some smoke then, dragon. Blow us some now. But the dragon's head turned 3 shades of red and he whispered, I don't know how.