In memory of Adrienne Rich.
Touch it.
Put your hand flat
onto the varnished table,
onto the grass,
onto your lover
or onto the world.
Pick up your feet.
Understand their motion
as being always towards,
and enjoy it
when it is also
alongside.
Go with purpose.
Keep asking questions
that must be asked
for many reasons.
Sometimes ask the questions
just to listen
being here is for other people
but you cannot touch them all.
Hold every hand you can,
and pay attention to the eyes
that really are on you.
Have faith in that.
When you can,
remember you are small.
When you have to,
walk like a giant
and be present.
Be kind.
Have love in anger.
Think.
Be safe alone.
Learn, and teach,
and never think the two are different;
think of me when you get lost,
and ask me if I thought there was a route.
I still can’t quite believe Adrienne Rich is gone from the world. She seems so alive and present in her writing – I can’t make sense of it.
I have the feeling she’d like “have love in anger”.
My favourite part of this is “be safe alone”.
Thank you for writing!