Rogue Thoughts, photo © Irene O’Garden, 2013, Poem ©Robin O’Brien, 2013
Four days in Washington, DC and three of teaching poetry plumped my week beyond normal. Though the busying tried to elbow out my Wednesday post, I have some wise words to share from Portland’s Robin O’Brien. For years she has ardently supported creativity in others. Now she’s making time for her own work. When we spoke last week, Boston achingly echoing in both of us, she read the following piece to me.
ROGUE THOUGHTS
I wish I could reel in these rogue thoughts–
Sit them down at the table,
and teach them some manners.
They don’t belong here gathering angry steam
to vent at someone or other.
Come back here
I want to say.
Let’s find a way to know each other
Serve each other
Be catalysts for positive change
Not some random act of violence-
A desperate message from a nether world
Begging “pay attention”.
We are what we attend to.
Let’s love our children
Be kind
Accept differences,
And don’t let that rogue thought
Out of the room of self
Before transforming it,
Enlightening it,
Asking it why it is here
In the first place.
I’m proud to call her my sister.
Publication News: Mother’s Day Special! Glad To Be Human is 40% off till May 12 when you use this link. You can easily give it as a gift from the Untreed Reads site!
I will also shortly be doing a special Mother’s Day giveaway of Women On Fire on Goodreads!
I’ll be at The Children’s Museum of the East End Friday night May 3rd and Saturday May 4th reading “Forest What Would You Like?” North Country Books in Vermont just gave us a lovely print review (which alas I cannot upload at the moment.)