Always a poet or twenty to celebrate in December. Their work, as sentinel, watching weaving wearing the frayed grief and pulsing creativities of a whole year. Imagine! Twelve months worth of words queerly catalogued- ready to reference in this next project we call 2026. So, I lift here a beLoved teacher. Thank you Pauli for every lick of your fire.
To the Oppressors
By Pauli Murray
Now you are strong
And we are but grapes aching with ripeness.
Crush us!
Squeeze from us all the brave life
Contained in these full skins.
But ours is a subtle strength
Potent with centuries of yearning,
Of being kegged and shut away
In dark forgotten places.
We shall endure
To steal your senses
In that lonely twilight
Of your winter’s grief.