by Al Fournier
We are who we are
shaped by give and take
grief and desire
No one survives
unwounded
unwounding
Let us stand anyway
as the light floods over us
the last overwhelm
and say, yes, we were here
we did these things
did not do something else
And by the way, thanks
for sunset skies
flowers that bloomed
through pavement cracks
birds that sang
whether we heard them or not
We worried so well
about all the wrong things
Forgive us for everything
we neglected to enjoy
About the photographer: Emily Sorensen is an environmental educator and a Doctorate of Fine Arts (DFA) candidate researching ecological art and performance at the Yale School of Drama where she earned an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism. She likes to go outside and take pictures of trees. On Instagram @emily.sorensen.
Al Fournier’s poem really touched me. Every line hit home. Christine Swanberg
Thanks for your comment, Christine. I wrote this poem after reading “Ledger” by Jane Hirshfield. I was so inspired by her work.
A beautiful poem so well articulated and thought provoking. Thank you for helping us to remember to remember.
Thank you for reading, Patricia. I’m so glad you found it moving.