Poet’s Corner: Rosemerry on RBG

19 Sep Poet’s Corner: Rosemerry on RBG

In the Age of Corona, the virus tends to overwhelm the squash, including that of Telluride’s Word Woman Rosemerry Trommer. But today devastation shape shifts. Today Rosemerry focuses on the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (And we sing in harmony.)

Note: “In the Steps of RBG” was first published in Rattle.com, selected for the “Poets Respond” challenge in which poets write poems about the news. You can find it here.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, courtesy CNN.

In the Steps of RBG

Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.—Ruth Bader Ginsberg, as quoted in Notorious RBG by Irin Carmen and Shana Knizhnik

So let me take one step right now,
one step toward respect.
And give me strength to take another
toward clarity. And though
my feet might feel like stones, let
me take another step toward justice.
And another toward equity. And another
toward truth. And though my legs
may feel leaden and slow, though someone
else may step on my toes, may I inch
toward forgiveness. May every step
be toward a bridge. Enough divisiveness.
And as I go, may I find joy in the stepping,
grace in the edging toward great change.
But if there’s little joy, let me step anyway.
Then take another step. And another. And another.