by JOANNE ARNOTT
Poet/activist Joanne Arnott. Photo/World Poetry
in your poems i find
truth
not just my truth
i find the biggest kind of truth
the kind that sets me at ease
and i can just
relax back into my life
instead of holding myself away
holding my breath
holding my self and world together
holding on to the truth, too, afraid
that if i don’t hold on
i will lose everything
what is this “everything”?
what do i have to lose?
self
world
balance
when i set my hands on your poetry, and
when i set my eyes on your poetry, and
when i read your poetry
i relax again
i breathe easy
when your poetry comes importuning me
nibbling at my ears and at
the edges of my mind
slipping along like a barefoot child
on a cold wood floor, telling me
it is time to wake up
it is time to wake up
it is christmas morning
i turn and open my arms
and i welcome the child
who scrambles up into my arms
with a big grin
your poetry
doesn’t care about
my bad teeth
my ragged robe
my long road
your poetry
is so honest
it’ll bust a gut for tragedy
then turn around and smile at me
eyes shining
and so
i know
i am safe here, here at least
and here forever
in a world where your poetry lives
and the truth is known
Joanne Arnott © Joanne Arnott is a writer/activist; her blog is Joanne Arnott.
The above poem originally appeared on World Poetry Reading Series.