Times I Shared the Poem “Love After Love”
A Poem to Hold Forever
I’ve leaned on this poem for important recharging. I’ve given this poem to friends and people I’ve met, people with loss or in the middle of transition. It’s the kind of poem that calls forward the wealth of one’s life and the importance of living in a way that one would keep finding that richness, that beauty.
Once, one of my brothers was preparing to read for his first time at an open mic night in Fullerton. I was at my then-girlfriend’s place, a few blocks away, and asked him to text me when he got to the cafe for the reading.
He texted me he’d just put his name in the lineup, and I panicked. I didn’t want to be late for my brother’s moment. I grabbed my shoes and sprinted to the cafe a few blocks away. He didn’t tell me he was last on the list, so I ended up arriving in good time. We listened to the readings before him, and his name was called.
He took the stage. I don’t remember now what he said, but I remember I was proud of him. Seeing one of my siblings declare themselves was a brilliant thing, and I cherished the fact that I was the only one he directly invited. It’s a serious thing. Maybe it was a lesson I learned from my grandpa, but it was critical to show up when someone young tries to test their voice.
He finished, and the mc asked for anyone else to join as they wanted. My brother sat back down with me, and I told him I was proud. I want to show him that he did a brave and amazing thing and encourage him. I wasn’t ready with any of my own work, but I looked up a new poem I had recently found. I took the stage right after him and read “Love After Love” by Derek Walcott.
More soon,
Trevor