Tonight several of us went to hear Marge Piercy read. She’s a feminist, a progressive activist and a phenomenal poet. We’re grateful to the mysterious Committee for Art and Justice, who brought her to the Triangle to commemorate and celebrate the life of Deborah Greenblatt. What a gift.
Here’s a classic Piercy poem, about the power of solidarity:
The Low RoadWhat can they do to you? Whatever they want. They can do anything you can't stop them from doing. How can you stop them?Alone, you can fight. You can refuse. You can take what revenge you can. But they roll over you. But two people fighting back to back can cut through a mob, a snake-dancing file can break a cordon, an army can meet an army.Two people can keep each other sane, can give support, conviction, love, massage, hope, and sex. Three people are a delegation, a committee, a wedge. With four, you play bridge and start an organization. With six, you can rent a whole house, eat pie for dinner with no seconds, and hold a fund-raising party. A dozen make a demonstration. A hundred can fill a hall. A thousand have solidarity and your own newsletter; ten thousand, power and your own paper; a hundred thousand, your own media; ten million, your own country. It goes on one at a time. It starts when you care to act. It starts when you do it again after they said "No." It starts when you say "We" and know who you mean and each day you mean one more.From The Moon Is Always Female, by Marge Piercy Copyright (c) 1980 by Marge Piercy
Who do YOU mean when you say "we," kimosabe?
Here at Traction, we mean to mean one more today. Email us to be one more.
Don't worry, all that means is that you'll get our witty (in our humble opinion) emails every once in a while, inviting you to events that are fun or compelling -- usually both. Sin compromiso, as we say in español. That first-born child thing is strictly optional. No, really.
It starts when you care to act.
Disclaimer: I found this poem posted in its entirety on several websites, so I figure it's okay to post it here (or at least I won't be the only one getting hauled to the slammer). If anyone can tell me otherwise, please do.
