Greetings, poetry friends, and happy Thankstaking. Yes, you read that right. Carole Lindstrom (author of many books telling the stories of Native peoples here in the U.S. of A.) laughed when she said it during a session I attended at NCTE this past weekend, but she meant it--in her family they call it "Thankstaking" as a way of remembering what the First Thanksgiving eventually led to for the indigenous people of North America. I also find it wryly useful, and I give thanks for all the Native creators who are bringing their light to children's literature.
Traci Sorell is one of them, and her talk at the Children's Literature Assembly Breakfast was mightily enlightening, and I'm donating to the Highlights Foundation Native Creatives Scholarship Fund that she's spearheading.
I enjoyed my conference, most especially being with many of the Poetry Friday friends we all know and love, and yet there's never enough time to go deep, to write together, to follow up on the ideas and the practices we encounter--so there's always some regret about what didn't happen!
Still, there was plenty to enjoy and celebrate with Mary Lee, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Laura Purdie Salas, Amy LV, Mary Cronin, (and if I've missed out any other PF regulars I'm sorry and will come back and edit). Poetry people are the best!
And yet.
And yet.
Last night I opened an email from The Atlantic's Weekly Planet and learned that at the same time many of us were blithely enjoying a session highlighting Georgia Heard, winner of the NCTE Excellence in Poetry Award, and her new book with Rebecca Kai Dotlich (member of the NCTE Excellence in Poetry Committee), we humans set a record that has me shook.
woah. That's an incredible poem, Heidi. It does not let any of us off the hook. Thank you for the ways you fight. I draw inspiration from this poem...and you.
ReplyDeleteI read about it, feel the problem is the 'what aboutisms' that continue. It is okay to celebrate Georgia's and Rebecca's book but still keep the worry and the action to help. Your poem is a guide today, Heidi, and that use of 'knowing' is powerful. Sad that many who 'know' hide it too well!
ReplyDeleteOuch. Here's to "more green future, less Black Friday." And as for "Thankstaking," I also read a commentary that said if next year about this time Israel began a holiday to celebrate and commemorate what's happening in Gaza, it would be pretty much like our Thanksgiving. (another big ouch)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this powerful post and poem, Heidi. Your NCTE experience, filled with friends, poetry and inspiration, is a well-filler that you (and all of us) need to keep fighting the fight.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you filled your poetry cup at NCTE. This poem describes the hopelessness that I feel. I'm in a sustainability faculty community on campus and it constantly feels like preaching to the choir. When will others listen?
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this poem and for highlighting "Thankstaking." It's good to remember that, much like July 4th, it isn't a celebration for all.
You are doing so much by making us turn and notice with your poetry. Thanks for being there for me in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful use of "knowing". To know is the beginning, but not enough. Poetry goes deeper, reverberates, challenges, as your work does. Grateful for your poetry friendship...and jealous that you got to see some of my poetry sisters!
ReplyDeleteI am also envious of your chance to be with so many friends and poets. What a celebration! I always appreciate your bringing us back to our climate emergency and keeping the issue in the forefront. So many evocative words in your poem, like thrumming, avenues choked outside, and voices against felted walls. I felt like I was there.
ReplyDeleteYou can and you did... Write the knowing words; remind the knowing people; hold the knowing earth in our cupped hands and trod the knowing gently.
ReplyDeleteHeidi, what a powerful post. Thank you for doing and pointing us in the direction to be doers too. I appreciate that somedays there isn't anything "more powerful than writ[ing] a poem in response" Thank you for that. It was fun to sit at your table at NCTE, you were stunning, with your sweet type-set dress. I appreciate your voice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your greening-reminder poem Heidi–we all have lots to do to help our small planet heal…
ReplyDeleteAll That Knowing. My heart raced reading this, Heidi. I'm going to share it with my daughter who does climate policy work. They need the energy and heart of poetry to help them carry on....
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