Gwendolyn Brooks Image via university of illinois
i.m Gwendolyn Brooks 1917-2000
“There’s nothing left
to say. You have done
your dance away —
to the place we never thought
would gather you
though somewhere we knew
how days grow shorn. Unbrittle,
brave, graceful yet laceless,
you struck the stone till you were
the stone, or the face
each dark rock hides, if only
from itself, somethin else. The water
wears over us —
headed home salt-ward.
We wade in your wake
& pray. Forever
bendable, you never did stoop
whenever sidewalks hard heart
met your dandelion wild.
You fought that white
head though.
A thankful while, the wind
our way blew.
Without you, we might not know
what wind must do
it too refuses to remain
unseen, keeps many names
Gust, bluster, hurricane
Bronzeville’s heavy Hawk
You swirl and save us
from standing still
unsailed. What the devil
are we without you?
I tuck your voice laced
tight, in these brown shoes”
— Kevin Young
(happy 100th gwendolyn brooks)
