Audre Lorde

Today we note the birth date of Audre Lorde (February 18, 1934 – November 17, 1992), American writer, womanist, radical feminist, professor, and civil rights activist who dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.

Here is one of her poems for your consideration:

A Litany For Survival

For those of us who live at the shoreline
standing upon the constant edges of decision
crucial and alone
for those of us who cannot indulge
the passing dreams of choice
who love in doorways coming and going
in the hours between dawns
looking inward and outward
at once before and after
seeking a now that can breed
futures
like bread in our children's mouths
so their dreams will not reflect
the death of ours:

For those of us
who were imprinted with fear
like a faint line in the center of our foreheads
learning to be afraid with our mother's milk
for by this weapon
this illusion of some safety to be found
the heavy-footed hoped to silence us

For all of us
this instant and this triumph
We were never meant to survive.
And when the sun rises we are afraid
it might not remain
when the sun sets we are afraid
it might not rise in the morning
when our stomachs are full we are afraid
of indigestion
when our stomachs are empty we are afraid
we may never eat again
when we are loved we are afraid
love will vanish
when we are alone we are afraid
love will never return and when we speak we are afraid
our words will not be heard
or welcomed
but when we are silent we are still afraid

So it is better to speak remembering
we were never meant to survive
--Audre Lorde

Access the following link to view a short excerpt from the documentary “A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde”

https://youtu.be/3IfDLEb_n4w