"Shoulders"

Dear friends, 

Welcome to the Partners in Rhyme blog!

Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned you can tell a lot about [people] by the way [they] handle these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” If Maya were alive today she might add Coronavirus to her list. These are some trying times for sure as we’re sequestered in our homes trying to stay healthy, yet not feel isolated. Those of you who know me won’t be surprised to hear me say that poetry can help us through this difficult time. More poetry is needed! With that in mind, I’ve created this blog to share some poems that I hope you will find thought-provoking, comforting, and uplifting. 

Today’s poem by Naomi Shihab Nye is a reminder that we are not in this alone, and, perhaps more than ever, we need to love one another and take good care of each other.  

Shoulders 

A man crosses the street in rain,
stepping gently, looking two times north and south,
because his son is asleep on his shoulder.

No car must splash him.
No car drive too near to his shadow.

This man carries the world’s most sensitive cargo
but he’s not marked.
Nowhere does his jacket say FRAGILE,
HANDLE WITH CARE.

His ear fills up with breathing.
He hears the hum of a boy’s dream
deep inside him.

We’re not going to be able
to live in this world
if we’re not willing to do what he’s doing
with one another.

The road will only be wide.
The rain will never stop falling.

Naomi Shihab Nye

Poetry is meant to be heard, and hearing poets read their work is always a treat. Here is a video of Naomi Shihab Nye reading “Shoulders.”

“Shoulders” from Red Suitcase, BOA Editions, Ltd, 1994, Copyrighted material used for educational or therapeutic purposes

Photo credit: Jeremy Deller More Poetry is Needed, Swansea, 2014 from Odds and Sods (for Parkett no. 95)2014