whirlwind for the warrior healers
to the warrior healers organizing trust
notes from post-tornado Durham
with Audre Lorde in transition
after Gwendolyn Brooks
“You have enabled yourself to prove of incalculable aid to many, many women—not just today’s women, but women down the ages…I am have been and always will be proud of you.”
Gwendolyn Brooks to Audre Lorde
“This is the urgency: Live!
and have your blooming in the noise of the whirlwind.”
-Gwendolyn Brooks “Second Sermon on the Warpland”
i.
brook open stream woke
this is how we conduct our blooming
brash and gentle at kitchen tables
falling apart
on living room floors
*
noise and whip and head turned around
did you just say…
*
something scattered here
(our several dreams)
played into particles
stepped and stepped over it
trip and trip over
trip over
over
done
something flew apart
*
arrival is in the instant of yes
*
glitter your hands with the grace of grief
knot your hair with knowing
never meant to hold money
never meant to braid it into noose
never knew another way was
blooming
ii.
warrior healer be we
who know
how to go there
and when
*
warrior healer be we
who wont be who we are
until we are
*
warrior healer be
we who don’t know what
to say
until we say
*
who speak
when voice shake
better be
we
*
say this
warrior healer be
*
yes
just be
*
warrior healer be
iii.
salvation salvaged
medication defined
stylized splendor
for Bessie and we
iv.
warrior poet be watching
smiling sometime
laughing
warrior mother poet be
looking down
picking up
wind
love,
lex
