Unite in Poetry


Hello friends,
      Today, the post is a little different from the normal.  My last post talked about the importance of finding poetry written by authors with whom we share differing backgrounds.  That allowed us to try to understand, to the extent we can, where they are coming from and what they are dealing with.  Along the way, hopefully, we learn that we are not all that different and we can apply the things we learn from others to our own lives and points of view.  Sometimes, it is good to read something by authors that we share some commonality with, be it race, sex, national or regional origin, age, socioeconomic background, or any other characteristic. 
      My good friend Adhana accepted my invitation to share a poem on my channel.  I will never truly understand what it is like to live in America as a black female, but I can still try to gain some empathy and understanding by reading their poetry.  That is why we do it.  We bathe in the beautiful language, the structure of the writing, and the emotions laid out for any willing to read it.  Last time, I gave you my take a poem written by a black poet, this time, Adhana will share her insights about a poem written by a black poet. 
       While I may be limited in what I can do to change the world, one thing I can do to help bring these discussions to the forefront is share the podium that the City has offered me.
        Continue having these discussions, continue listening to one another, continue caring for one another.  Poetry can unite us if we listen with our hearts and heads.   In poetry, all voices matter, but today, given the current circumstances we find ourselves in, it is important to for us all to take a step back and remember that Black Voices Matter.  Not because we should put them on a pedestal, but  for a long time in our country, their voices were silenced or rendered meaningless, and we believe that they deserve to be heard, understood, and loved.
        The featured poem in this video is  "Countless Schemes" by Eve Ewing from her book 1919.  This is an incredible collection that blends a piece of history with powerful poetry.
        Thank you for reading and watching.  Go read some poetry, ask some friends to read some poetry, and then (from a socially distanced arrangement, or virtually) share with each other.  Show some love to each other through discussing the poems and what you thought about them.
        Unite through poetry.
        

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