Thursday, August 11, 2011

Professional (Gratitude Poem #13)

The first time I spoke to Katie was on the phone. My beloved sister comrade Sydette told me to talk to her "wifey." Witnessing the most beautiful supportive and kick-ass friendship and sharing a loved one with Katie made me feel connected to her and appreciative even before I finally got to meet her in person. We went through some things we probably should not have had to go through in the city of Boston, but the clarity remained. Katie is a person who shows up for the people she loves. And she loves to love people.


I am happy to have a loved one that is so good at BEING a loved one and to live in a world where Katie is showing the planet what love means and that love will prevail!!!!

I love you Katie!!!

And for your own love poem based on Audre Lorde's "Marvelous Arithmetics of Distance" and to support my journey to learn more about the meaning of love from Audre Lorde and the brilliant loving black feminist Gloria Joseph join the journey here: http://alexispauline.chipin.com/praise-the-lorde-st-croix-dream-trip


Professional


For Katie Kuhl


After Audre Lorde’s “Do You Remember Laura”


path grows slick with tread

well-read commute to be your word

boroughs and sidewalks align

names provisional

single-minded purpose


to get where you go

to love who you love

like its your first job

and the only one that matters


gather your tools

something soft

something sweet

something that smells really good


first aid for the spirit

stat pack for head and hands on call


i think of you as a professional


in my mind you are in transit

somewhere in the city

on the way

to love


way I see it

that’s all you do


show up in love

show up to start the clock

show up to turn the light on

show up ready to blow up

anything resembling harm


you heal

with the force of sheer determination

a daily clarity

an urgent walk

saying


no matter who hates you

I will love you

more often


count on it


love becomes a regular miracle

dependable continual here

it’s a numerical strategy

endurance


say it matter of fact


nothing can hurt you

for longer than I will love you

when the world forgets what it even meant

by capitalist die fuck of never care

i will still be here holding your hand

reminding you

you fucking rock


you are how I know love wins

sun has nothing

seasons fall out the sky

water dry out into gills on our backwards ribs

asteroid hit

whole thing fall away


and you will still show up

purse filled with something sacred

something soft

something sweet

something that smells really good


genocidal apathy

structural ignorance

and the deadly arrogance of greed

have lost already


they should have got you first

picked you for their team


but they didn’t know what we know


Katie was the guru that trained the care bears

how to open their hearts

Valentine’s day is plagiarized

a co-optation of the ironic element of a 7 point plan

for annual love generation

left on the floor in a daydream

Katie had on the train


they must not know

what we know


but they will soon find out


if it is not love

it cannot last


Katie is on the way.

No comments: