It's sobering to realize that there's a huge chunk of the U.S. voting population that doesn't think of sexual assault as something horrendous enough to disqualify a presidential candidate.
~Ana Kasparian
Happy Poetry Friday! How great is it to have poetry friends who will take up a meaningful challenge with you? Here's a post from 2020 full of poems about hand-marked paper ballots.
Ouch: Voting Machine by Maggie Smith
Lastly, I'm returning to Alberto Rios, who knows what to say:
A House Called Tomorrow
by Alberto Ríos
You are not fifteen, or twelve, or seventeen—
You are a hundred wild centuries
And fifteen, bringing with you
In every breath and in every step
Everyone who has come before you,
All the yous that you have been,
The mothers of your mother,
The fathers of your father.
If someone in your family tree was trouble,
A hundred were not:
The bad do not win—not finally,
No matter how loud they are...
read the rest here
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I'm visiting Ariana and Matthew this week but hope to make the rounds anyway, maybe a little late.
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Matt!
Thanks for posting Rios's poem -- timely and I definitely needed it this week. Hear, hear to Kasparian's quote. Also, inciting a riot doesn't seem to disqualify a candidate either. I remain baffled, but disinformation is a very real danger and threat.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Kamala will invite Rios to speak at her inauguration! That is a poem for a new way forward!
ReplyDeleteOh, I had forgotten about those 'paper ballot' poems, Tabatha. Yikes, it seems like years and years! Rios tells us how to live, and we have hope, but every day, every day, a frightful new thing. I have friends & family who won't watch any of it & wonder if that's okay. Have fun with your visit, relaxing, & holding hope together!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a good visit with Ariana and Matthew. I so appreciate Rios' poem...I refuse to believe that good will be defeated but I am nervous. I was good to read his hopefulness.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Rios poem. "The bad do not win—not finally,
ReplyDeleteNo matter how loud they are." I sure hope he's right about that.
Another thanks for the Rios poem. I remember that paper ballot challenge, and I also remember Haiku for Healing. I am poking my fingers in my ears and shutting my eyes when news of polls comes my way. I am sending so much hope to the Universe that in the privacy of the voting booth, good will win.
ReplyDeleteI love love love this poem, which keeps popping up for me (often during my Sunday Service). I don't think I read your paper ballot poem back in 2020, and I ADORE it. We all have to do what we can, and share the responsibilities. I like this way of thinking about what's needed, what brings us personal joy, and what we're good at: Ayana's CLIMATE VENN https://www.ayanaelizabeth.com/climatevenn
ReplyDeleteTabatha thank you for the Rios poem. These lines made me pause: "The bad do not win—not finally, /No matter how loud they are..." The ending of the poem is a call to action to walk forward with pride and perseverance. This is a powerful poem. I do like the other pieces you left for us to read. These poems are important to the present election events.
ReplyDelete