Poetry on Thursday

Late last night I was scrolling through Instagram (I know), but this time I found something worthwhile. I stumbled upon Kate Baer. Her poems stopped me in my tracks and kept me from scrolling further. As I read, I was struck by her language, what she says, and how she says it. Here are a couple of them.

To Take Back a Life

by Kate Baer

First you must learn desire. Hold its

fruit in your hands. Unmarry it

from the hunger to be held, to be wanted, to

be called from the streets like the family

dog. You are not a good girl. You are not 

somebody's otherness. This is not a dress

rehearsal before a better kind of life.

Pick up your heavy burdens and leave

them at the gate. I will hold the door for

you.

She also does some "blackout poetry" where she takes the ugly messages that men have sent her about her "ugly leftist agenda", calling her fat and dumb, and transforms them into something beautiful by deleting their own words. This is a little more difficult to share, but you can see this example on Instagram here. 

I found her poetry to be accessible and speak to what many women are thinking (at least this woman). 

You can read more about Kate Baer here. 

I wish you mindfulness, peace, good health, and the understanding that this is not a dress rehearsal before a better kind of life as the week winds down.