National Poetry Month

The Future by Billy Collins

When I finally arrive there --
and it will take many days and nights --
I would like to believe others will be waiting
and might even want to know how it was.

So I will reminisce about a particular sky
or a woman in a white bathrobe
or the time I visited a narrow strait
where a famous naval battle had taken place.

Then I will spread out on a table
a large map of my world
and explain to the people of the future
in their pale garments what it was like --

how mountains rose between the valleys
and this was called geography,
how boats loaded with cargo plied the rivers
and this was known as commerce,

how the people from this pink area
crossed over into this light-green area
and set fires and killed whoever they found
and this was called history --

and they will listen, mild-eyed and silent,
as more of them arrive to join the circle
like ripples moving toward,
not away from, a stone tossed into a pond.

New Exchanges

Some upcoming exchanges:
not_primetime: An exchange for fandoms that are too big for Yuletide but too small to run their own exchanges. Currently doing signups (closes April 30th).
ficmountain: Yuletide in June, basically. This is the first year for this exchange. Currently doing signups (closes April 30th).
jukebox_fest: An exchange for stories about songs. Currently doing nominations (closes tonight at midnight EST).
MM-Rares: An exchange for rare slash pairings. This is the first year for this exchange. Currently doing nominations (closes May 2nd).

Is anyone participating in any of these? I'm considering Night on Fic Mountain and M/M Rares, but I haven't made up my mind yet. Also, whoa, someone who is not me nominated Ben January for Fic Mountain! This is very exciting.