Mr. Africa Poetry Lounge!
WE WRITE
Our hands splay toward some
Hazy & far-flung happiness
& we cleave open for some fragile
Non-evil, no matter how brief:
To touch,
To meet,
To human
Again; a scatter of non-particular
Wonders to be revisited.
All these unutterable blessings we forfeited-
Hugs, hope, heart-
Finally beloved by all & belittled by none.
It will take a whole fleet
Of words to return.
* * *
Then comes the thrust of our throats:
There is no more revenge
We shall boast, no matter
How heavily bladed in our fingers.
Change is made of choices,
& choices are made of character.
Cling to whatever brings us to begin,
Even if it is formless as foam.
We keep hoping
For no reason at all.
For every reason we share.
It is loss, as well as logic,
When we cry:
May those laid to rest never leave us,
But lead us to rise.
We lived.
& that was more than we asked for.
We, too, must howl ourselves ablaze.
* * *
We write
Because you might listen.
We write because
We are lost
& lonely,
& you, like us,
Are looking
& learning.
Written by Amanda Gorman
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