Maya Angelou—poet, scholar, professor, civil rights activist—visits with me this morning. Her poetry speaks to me. Her poetry makes me sad and makes me laugh and sometimes both at the same time. In her little four-line poem, “Man Bigot” she reminds us that, “the worst God has got” will unfortunately continue to have a voice in the days ahead.
The man who is a bigot
is the worst thing God has got,
except his match, his woman
who really is Ms. Begot.
“Old Folks Laugh” is one of my favorites and in particular the line, “When old folks laugh, they free the world.” I am an old folk now. I’d like to think I’m free of falseness and vanity, that somehow I’ve broken free from the conventional, but then I remember another poet’s words—and realize: Ah, Hal…”the best is yet to be.”
They have spent their
content of simpering,
holding their lips this
and that way, winding
the lines between
their brows. Old folks
allow their bellies to jiggle like slow
tamborines.
The hollers
rise up and spill
over any way they want.
When old folks laugh, they free the world.
They turn slowly, slyly knowing
the best and worst
of remembering.
Saliva glistens in
the corners of their mouths,
their heads wobble
on brittle necks, but
their laps
are filled with memories.
When old folks laugh, they consider the promise
of dear painless death, and generously
forgive life for happening
to them.
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| Iris of the Day |
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