Poem of the Month: July 2003

Refusing Silence

Heartbeat trembling
your kingdom
of leaves
near the ceremony
of water, I never
insisted on you. I admit
I delayed. I was the Empress
of Delay. But it can't be
put off now. On the sacred branch
of my only voice - I insist.
Insist for us all,
which is the job
of the voice, and especially
of the poet. Else
what am I for, what use
am I if I don't
insist?
There are messages to send.
Gatherings and songs.
Because we need
to insist. Else what are we
for? What use
are we?

- Tess Gallagher, from Sewell, Marilyn, ed., Claiming the Spirit Within: A Sourcebook of Women's Poetry, Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1996


Journal prompts:

• What needs to be said, right now?
  
  
• What messages do you want/need to send? What gatherings? What songs?
  
  
• How have you refused silence?
  
  
• How have you embraced silence?