I thought we had seriously prepared for this hurricane;
bought the supplies, bagged the important, boarded-up
openings, but as I sit barefoot, sore, soaked, shocked, in
rising pool of water, bony back pushing against bulging
wooden walls, I realize I have been impressively naive
again about the boundaries beyond boxed imagination;
the surreal reality which can actually be birthed—a whole
nation of unforeseen…revelation. This, this, bulging-wall
force, squeezing water through thread-vein cracks in wood,
breaking out, breaking in, breaking us—is unimaginable.
I shout, hand gesture my husband, let us leave the wall,
save ourselves, run for cover downstairs to concrete
bathroom. But he has invested so much of his life into
all of this; bits of him strewn in and out of our home, it
is more than his life is worth to stop trying to save it now.
There are endless loud cracks, crashes—I see myself
lifted, flung, flying across the room, landing head first
into bookshelves; imagine this hysterical poetic ending.
I do not know what time is doing but decide to stay here
with him and push and push against this wall, until…
Years ago, I had abandoned prayers of Catholic parents
and searched for my own resonating words, and lately
have been trying out mantras for their sound and effect.
So now I push and push, chant and chant, over and over.
Ajai Alai…Aganjae Alaykhae, Ajai Alai…Aganjae Alaykhae;
Invincible Indestructible…Unconquerable Indescribable.
The unimaginable beating down in time time time with me…
From Guabancex (Papillote Press, 2020). Reprinted with permission of the author.
Celia A Sorhaindo was born in Dominica. She left when she was eight, lived for many years in the UK and returned home in 2005. Her poems have been published in Caribbean journals and in the anthology, New Daughters of Africa. She has been long-listed for the UK National Poetry competition. This is her first published collection.
SWWIM Every Day is proud to present poems by women-identifying poets appearing at Miami Dade College’s 2020 Miami Book Fair.
Miami Dade College’s 2020 Miami Book Fair will host over 200+ authors from all over the world in conversation, in readings, in storytelling, all virtual, all safe, all unique, and all FREE between Nov. 15-22. Reading from their new work will be Diane Louie, Nikky Finney, Heid Erdrich, Jane Hirshfield, Danez Smith, Kazim Ali, John Murillo, Jen Karetnick, Jorie Graham, Kevin Young, among many others. And in conversation with Miami’s own Campbell McGrath will be these poets laureate: Robert Hass, Juan Felipe Herrera, Joy Harjo, among others. Access to Miami Book Fair 2020 is free. For more information and to register please visit MiamiBookFaironline.com. Follow Miami Book Fair @miamibookfair, #MiamiBookFair2020 #MBF2020 #MiamiBookFairOnline.
SWWIM will see you there!
#SwwimEveryDay #SwwimWithUs #ItsLit
