Jan
2021
Poetry Friday: Lament
It seems we are living in a time for lament. Whether it’s the time we are living through or coincidence, the idea of lament has been coming across my reading and listening.
First, Latasha Morrison introduces acknowledgement and lament as a step in the journey toward racial reconciliation in her book Be the Bridge. First we have to acknowledge hard truths, including our own role. She explains:
In order to move from awareness to acknowledgement, we must first be brave enough to accept the historical truths and modern realities. Yes, we may have to acknowledge the death of Mary Turner in 1918, but we might also have to acknowledge senseless death of a mama’s Black son at the hands of a police officer in 2014. We can’t shy away from the conversations just because they’re uncomfortable or awkward or unpleasant. We can’t change the subject because issues of racism make us feel bad. Instead, we have to have the hard conversations sw we can move to a place of deep lament.
To lament means to express sorrow or regret. Lamenting something horrific that has taken place allows a deep connection to form between the person lamenting and the harm that was done, and that emotional connection is the first step in creating a pathway for healing and hope. We have to sit in the sorrow, avoid trying to fix it right away, avoid our attempts to make it all okay. Only then is the pain useful. Only then can it lead us into healing and wisdom.
I can relate to that desire to rush to justice and to make things better now (especially when there are threats of even more violence looming), but I am trying to sit in this place of lament for our country. Poetry helps, as it offers a voice for lament.
Later this week a friend shared a link to Malcom Guite’s The Random Vandals: A response to psalm 74. Even though he wrote it before January 6. 2021, it seems an appropriate response. These lines in particular caught my heart:
‘How long will the destroyers work their will?
The random vandals who don’t even try
To understand the good things they deface.
They trash the past, and cast a jaundiced eye
On all the works of beauty, art and grace
That once made up our culture.
You can read the rest of the poem here.
Inspired by Margaret’s nestlings she wrote with her students this week, I tried a couple of nestlings from Guite’s poem. It’s much harder than it sounds. I don’t have titles yet. What do you suggest?
vandals
trash our culture
making chaos
——————–
Destroyers
don’t understand
the past.
Their flaming sword
brings darkness.
As I sit with lament this week, and with lots of not knowing (what is coming next, where will we go from here, how do you bring people back to reality), I am trying not to rush through, but to let my sorrow have time to lead me to wisdom.
Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Margaret hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Reflections on the Teche. She shares a tree full of more nestlings and a beautiful poetry gift. Hurry over and check out all the poetry morsels offered up today.
Margaret Simon
January 17, 2021 at 6:33 pm (3 years ago)I’m excited that I *inspired* you to write nestlings. I love how they contain something large in their smallness, a mustard seed of wisdom (or lament). *Inspire is my OLW 2021.
Mrs. McGriff
January 18, 2021 at 8:13 pm (3 years ago)Thank you, Margaret–you definitely inspire me frequently with the work you do with your students.
Laura Purdie Salas
January 17, 2021 at 11:53 am (3 years ago)I love your nestlings and that flaming sword (so bright, but bringing darkness). And the notion of not trying to rush through the sadness or hopelessness, but letting yourself feel it. Experience it. That’s such a good reminder to me and others.
PS My anti-spam words are “go berate.” Wow. That is not good advice for anyone!
Mrs. McGriff
January 17, 2021 at 6:08 pm (3 years ago)Thanks, Laura. I’m reminding myself as much as others with my writing. –And no, the anti spam word for you is not good advice I sometimes wonder how they are chosen.
Ruth
January 17, 2021 at 10:11 am (3 years ago)Sitting with you as you sit with lament. thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Mrs. McGriff
January 17, 2021 at 6:06 pm (3 years ago)Thank you, Ruth. It is good not to be alone in lament.
Michelle Kogan
January 17, 2021 at 3:09 am (3 years ago)Yes, your poems are very powerful, as is this post, so much to think and ponder on… Pondering and thinking and taking it all in, perhaps , as you said, we need to spend more time in this spot, as difficult as it is. Thanks for all here Kay.
Mrs. McGriff
January 17, 2021 at 6:05 pm (3 years ago)Thanks, Michelle. I find it hard to stay in this place, but I am learning how important it is.
Susan Bruck
January 16, 2021 at 10:52 pm (3 years ago)Thanks for sharing your thoughts and sorrow here. It is hard to take in all the pain of our country right now. I appreciate your sharing these two writers to me. The words you share are really powerful and food for thought–that I will try to take the time to digest.
Mrs. McGriff
January 17, 2021 at 6:04 pm (3 years ago)Thank you, Susan. It is hard to take n all that has happened/is happening. I’m glad for a writing community to share thoughts with.
Irene Latham
January 16, 2021 at 10:28 am (3 years ago)Hi Kay, and thank you for this exploration of “lament.” I kind of love that word. And your nestlings! Powerful. Maybe “Lamentations” for the 2nd one? Interestingly Charles Waters and I have a picture book coming next year titled BE A BRIDGE. xo
Mrs. McGriff
January 16, 2021 at 11:46 am (3 years ago)Thank you, Irene, for sharing your nestlings with us and inspiring us. I look forward to reading your and Charles’ new picture books. We need more bridges and people willing to build them.
Mary Lee
January 16, 2021 at 9:27 am (3 years ago)Another wow from me. The idea of sitting in the lament before moving to action, those lines you chose from Guite’s poem, your nestlings. All are so. very. powerful.
Mrs. McGriff
January 16, 2021 at 11:44 am (3 years ago)Thank you, Mary Lee. I have had much to think about–as have we all.
Mitchell Linda
January 15, 2021 at 11:31 pm (3 years ago)Wow, Kay. The whole idea of lament slows me down. Sitting with something sorrowful instead of fixing it is something for the spiritually strong. I wonder if we as a nation can become that? If not religiously strong, strong enough in our spirits to do that. Aren’t nestlings fun? They are more challenging than they first look. But you’ve got some good ones. Titles? oof…that are not easy. I would use Jan. 6, 2021 as the title of the first.
Mrs. McGriff
January 16, 2021 at 11:43 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Linda. I also struggle with slowing down to stay in the sorrow, but I hope we can do so as a nation. There are leaders to help us if we will listen. And yes, the nestlings are both fun and quite challenging.
Linda Baie
January 15, 2021 at 12:38 pm (3 years ago)Your words shared are wise and apply to all things in our lives, Kay. To rush to fix means quick repair, often weak when strong, reliable healing is needed. It’s hard to be patient when the world suffers so. Thanks for these names of authors new to me and the thoughtful ‘nestlings’.
Mrs. McGriff
January 16, 2021 at 11:42 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Linda. I think we too often rush to “fix” things, and I am bothered by the quick calls for unity. I hope for unity, but not a cheap unity based on ignoring the wrongs done.
janice scully
January 15, 2021 at 11:01 am (3 years ago)Kay, this is a wonderful post. I wonder “How long will destroyers work their will?” I lament all the beauty defiled and thought you nestlings spoke beautifully to the crisis.
Mrs. McGriff
January 16, 2021 at 11:40 am (3 years ago)Thank you, Janice. I wonder, too, how long the destroyers will work. I hope people of goodness and creation can counter them
Laura Shovan
January 15, 2021 at 10:20 am (3 years ago)Thank you for this post, Kay, and for the resources and thinkers/authors you have shared with us. Your second poem could be titled with the date: January 6.
Mrs. McGriff
January 16, 2021 at 11:40 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Laura. I like that title for the first one.
Kathryn Apel
January 15, 2021 at 2:01 am (3 years ago)Hi Kay. There is much to lament these days – and perhaps lament is a healing part of grief? And we’re all feeling that for different and connected reasons. Have you heard Emmanuel Acho talk? I have been following him on Insta since his first post went viral – and I love his heart. I haven’t seen his book – but if it’s anything like his conversations online, I’d recommend it. (Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man) https://www.instagram.com/emmanuelacho
Mrs. McGriff
January 15, 2021 at 9:43 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Kat. I have not heard Emmanuel Acho talk, but I will be checking out his conversations.
Jan/Bookseedstudio
January 14, 2021 at 10:47 pm (3 years ago)hi dear Kay at Poetry Friday time. I’m so pleased to be introduced by you to these potent ideas of Latasha Morrison & Malcolm Guite in your thoughtful post, so timely. Also, reading through, the DAVID’S CROWN poetry collection in responses to the Psalms sounds compelling.
Many appreciations.
Jan/Bookseedstudio
Mrs. McGriff
January 15, 2021 at 9:42 am (3 years ago)Thanks, Jan I’m am glad to introduce others to these writers. Both are wise and have much to share that is helpful for these times. I know I’m learning a lot.