To say that I feel bombarded and overwhelmed by the news of the past week is an understatement. But then I read poems like this, selected and shared by our brilliant Young People’s Poet Laureate, Naomi Shihab Nye, in the New York Times Magazine, and I feel a little more hopeful. Because I believe this is true:
“…they are the true dwelling of the holy, these
fleeting temples we make together…”
“Small Kindnesses”
by Danusha Laméris
I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk
down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs
to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you”
when someone sneezes, a leftover
from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying.
And sometimes, when you spill lemons
from your grocery bag, someone else will help you
pick them up. Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other.
Read the rest here.
Please be sure to visit Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Oh, this is simply wonderful. “We have so little of each other, now. So far / from tribe and fire.” Thank goodness for small kindnesses and for poets like Danusha Lameris. I’ll be sharing this poem with many. (Also, the NYT link might not work for those of us (who me?) who have used up their free article limit! I found the poem here: https://voxpopulisphere.com/2019/08/11/danusha-lameris-small-kindnesses/)
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Isn’t it beautiful? Thank you for letting me know about the link. I’ll change it.
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In our small town, we have a big hullabaloo between a district judge and the DA that makes me wonder about these little kindnesses. Seems it’s not only our president who has forgotten the power of being kind. Thanks for this poem.
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Kindness is the best currency we have. We are all rich with it, we can generate it any time, and it can sustain us through storm, drought, whatever. Thank you, Catherine. xo
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It is perfect for these days! I shared it last month after hearing about it from Jeanne at “Necromancy Never Pays,” and I think she got it from the book “Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection,” edited by James Crews. That sounds like a book we would all enjoy reading 🙂
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Catherine, you found the right poem and lines from Naomi Shihab Nye to counterbalance the unkind remarks and actions visible in this world. Thank you.
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Yes. Yes. Yes. I just want to keep typing yes. I can’t help but to react emotionally to the news. I’ve been upset. I know we are supposed to seek the bigger picture, the long haul…but I am so thrown by these current moments. The small kindnesses are truly holy. Thank you.
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A perfect poem for the day, the time, when we need to pull these small kindnesses close like a warm blanket over our chilled souls.
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This one is new to me, Catherine. Naomi Nye gives us so many gifts of words, we that are “So far
from tribe and fire”. Beautiful for this time, for all time! Thank you!
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I, too, have taken such comfort from this poem. I’m glad you shared it again today.. This week, especially, it is a reminder I needed. I try to remember that while I can’t solve all these big problems, I can work to make my little corner of the world a little better–and that matters.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. THIS is why I say to strangers, “I love those shoes,” “Can I help you?” “I’m not in a hurry today–you go first.” This is the tribe and fire of eyes that I”m looking to meet even in the rear view mirror as I’m driving. This is what WILL solve the big problems–“Here, let me compost that for you.” : )
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Oh how we need these simple kindnesses right now- reminders of the true beauty and good in the world. Thank you for sharing this.
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Thank you so much for sharing this poem. We are in the middle of federal election here in Canada. Elections seem to bring out the worst in many people so reading it reminded me of our basic goodness and need for belonging.
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