Meanwhile

A poem

Everything is breaking. I don’t know what to say.
James Baldwin knew what to say, and how. So many,
really, find a way to string words, cradle grief, crack justice.

The playground is packed. I push my daughter
on the Saturday swing. A grey military plane flies low. I gasp, everything
stops, nothing stops. ”What happened, mama?”

Walking to work I call Arif Virani and leave
another message. I wonder what his voice sounds like.
”Ceasefire now” I say, remembering that I meant

to call my friend whose heart is breaking, catching
shards in text messages, wrapping them in Spotify songs.
I meant to take soup out of the freezer for later. So much

forgetting. Arriving for swimming lessons at the JCC, I hold L’s hand
while security checks my backpack: a metal lunchbox; water
bottle; wallet; blue bathing suit with orange circles; a Ziploc bag for what’s wet.

How might one RSVP to a birthday party invitation
for Thursday after school when 3257 children
have been killed: 3195 in Gaza, 33 in the West Bank, 29 in Israel?

We will trick or treat, take too many pictures
of our kids in their Halloween costumes and meanwhile


”What happened, mama?” in exploding slow motion

”It was just a plane,” the kaleidoscopic playground scurry
resumes, the squeals, the crying. Everything is breaking.
And, there’s the gingko tree, standing in the night, singing.

October’s five things

1. Watching: the recording of Black Feminist Writers and Palestine.

2. Remembering: the Audre Lorde Questionnaire to Oneself via poet Divya Victor.

3. Learning: about The Body’s Grace in this On Being conversation between yoga teacher Matthew Sanford and Krista Tippett.

1. Reading: The View from my Window in Gaza by Mosab Abu Toha.

2. Returning: to the practice of moving my pen, so that I might continue to raise my voice, call my MP, and not turn away. I hosted a version of Let’s Write on Instagram Live on October 21st, and invite you to tune in. All you need is a notebook, pen, and the willingness to meet yourself on the page.

   sasharsw

   

   A post shared by @sasharsw

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