27 Comments

Hi Maggie, That was so kind of you to get on a video and share something of yourself and your beautiful poem...of course a poem to express what seems inexpressible. I mean you didn't have to do it. But you showed up which means a lot.

I woke up on Wednesday morning and the first thought was, what am I going to say to my (social work) students? Somehow I felt responsible. With luck, and the serendipity of bumping into their morning professor before my afternoon class, I got through it. I told them I wasn't going to be at my best, that my brain was a bit hijacked, but there was some beautiful togetherness, because in the end I just said, "I just want to know how you all are, let's talk." It was imperfect as everything, but I just had to "be" there in the best way I knew how.

Expand full comment
author

Lizzie, your students are lucky to have you. 💗

Expand full comment

Awww thanks :)

Expand full comment
Nov 8Liked by Maggie Smith

Thank you from 🇬🇧. Sending so much love. We’ll pay the price here too of course, but so many warrior women tried to stop this. To you all, I send 💐 today xx

Expand full comment
author

Thank you, Lo.

Expand full comment
Nov 8Liked by Maggie Smith

Oh, so just what I needed today. Thank you, Maggie. Poetry is such a balm right now.

Expand full comment
author

For me, too. I’m so grateful for art in these bewildering times.

Expand full comment

I am finding the darkness harder this time around, since eight years ago I was not also in the throes of divorce/trauma. The combination is crushing, though I too will move about my days simply because I must. Thank you for this sliver of light today, for your written words and also the reading. 💚

Expand full comment
author

I understand, and I’m so sorry for the compounded grief.

Expand full comment
Nov 8Liked by Maggie Smith

thank you, for the lovely poem and reading, Maggie. For the last two days, your daughter Violet's incredulous "the bully won?" has been echoing through my brain. My grieving phase continues.

Expand full comment
author

Whew, yes. We had a similar conversation again this week.

Expand full comment

Hi Maggie. Wonderful poem, and a true thing. Life is many things, all the time. This poem is like the saying, "it's always darkest before the dawn" set to music. Before last Tuesday I wrote in my journal how I was going to move forward if the worst happened, and so I will try and do that. Besides, the woodpeckers came for a visit this morning, and that's something. Thanks for your words, always.

Expand full comment
author

That’s something! I watched some raucous crows chase a hawk this afternoon. 💗

Expand full comment
Nov 8Liked by Maggie Smith

Magnificent. Thank you💛

Expand full comment
author

💗🙏

Expand full comment

Thank you so much, Maggie. This is exactly the right poem for right now.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you.

Expand full comment

Thanks so much for your beautiful poem, and for reading it for me. ❤️

Expand full comment

“Let us talk more of how dark the beginning of a day is.” The perfect sentiment today. Thank you, Maggie. I needed the cry when I watched your video.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Maggie. Love this poem. Let’s talk of the good dark….Amy Ray sings a similar storytelling message. I’ll be with the poets before dawn. 💫

Expand full comment

There must’ve been a good dark goddess lurking on twitter the night years ago you and I had a brief but meaningful 2am exchange about insomnia— she must’ve known how much I would come to rely on your words, your work, and your friendship in the days ahead. Thank you for this, and for your beautiful, beautiful heart. Love you, Maggs xo

Expand full comment
author

Love you too, Kate.

Expand full comment

This poem always reminded me of Jane Kenyon’s Let Evening Come. Thank you for this.

Expand full comment
author

I love that poem. Thank you, Marcie.

Expand full comment

Someone I'm very close to... someone I love, told me on Wednesday, "the sun will rise again tomorrow" That didn't bring me the peace he intended. I am still in the darkness that you so eloquently describe. Thank you for choosing to share this.

Expand full comment