As the
incoming administration builds its agenda of attack on marginalized people, on
freedom of speech, on the earth itself, poetry will continue to be an essential
voice of resistance. Poets will speak out in solidarity, united
against hatred, systemic oppression, and violence and for justice, beauty,
and community.
In this
spirit, Split This Rock is offering its blog as a Virtual Open Mic. For the
rest of this frightening month, January of 2017, we invite you to send us poems
of resistance, power, and resilience.
We will post every poem we receive unless it is offensive (containing language that is derogatory toward marginalized groups, that belittles, uses hurtful stereotypes, explicitly condones or implies a call for violence, etc.). After the Virtual Open Mic closes, we hope to print out and mail all of the poems to the White House.
We will post every poem we receive unless it is offensive (containing language that is derogatory toward marginalized groups, that belittles, uses hurtful stereotypes, explicitly condones or implies a call for violence, etc.). After the Virtual Open Mic closes, we hope to print out and mail all of the poems to the White House.
For
guidelines on how to submit poems for this call, visit the Call for Poems of
Resistance, Power & Resilience blog post.
***
Arise
(inspired by the inauguration’s Women’s March)
(inspired by the inauguration’s Women’s March)
by Sam Love
Arise to the thunder of millions of hearts
beating with a resonance of freedom
lifting up fists of all ages
lifting up fists of all ages
to the fiery sky, color shifting
from orange to an opalescent blue
Messages so clear no one
can doubt the resolve
of a new dawn of compassion
flowing across the land
Young and old moving lock step
as millions lift up fists
purified by dissent
awakening again the cry
Liberté, égalité, sororité
a powerful trilogy that strikes fear
into the hearts of tyrants
who suppress our better nature
three words awakening from
a slumber to break free the masses
held prisoner in a trance of digital illusions
Marching arm in arm
to shield the rights
of all who dare dream
of a future celebrating the best of a civilization
a civilization founded on the blood of dreams
Draw strength from this tsunami
rolling across the land
like a wild unleashed spirit
awakening the masses
that dare to dream again
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