I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on the role of poetry in my life, especially as many of the poems I’m writing at the moment grapple with grief and mortality.
It’s hard to explain why (and easier for me to teach intuitively), but I believe poetry is a mechanism that can help us figure out how to ‘be’ with some of the harder things that accompany the joy of being alive. In essence, I think, poetry can help us make sense of what at times can feel incomprehensible—namely, suffering.
Last night, I came across a note by distinguished author Junot Diaz, and it prompted me to write a poem in response. Junot shared that he thought the most beautiful words in the English language were - dawn, breath, song, book, longing, love and us.
So, I decided to use the words to write a poem. It’s called Rise, and I asked two people I love to share photographs of the Sunrise and Sunset with me to accompany it.
Otautahi Sunrise, Matariki 2024
Sunset: Lake Rotopounamu, Matariki 2025
Stunning ✨