bob@security.UUCP (Bob Jordan) (11/10/83)
I found this in a book called "Rising Tides", which is an anthology from about
10 years ago of selected works by women poets. Anyway, it made an impression,
and I would like to share it.
THANKSGIVING
The beauty of
the male face
acknowledging sorrow
of a man who hurts
and lets you see
I had almost forgotten
my brothers
when you cried
I had almost
learned to hate
when your face changed
In that room the air
stopped being frozen
words stopped
banging together
and I
began to move
I never thought
it would be a man
I thought women were alone
that your hands were
like steel
until I held on to them
until you closed you eyes
and grief like
red glass
illumined you
and I could see again
with doubled vision
Sharon Barba, copyright 1973