Okay, @halseanderson. A SHOUT-OUT for SHOUTING OUT & Being Absolutely Amazing

T hen there are days, privileged in nirvana,
h armonious cosmic karma, where
e verything I wanna understand gets
r eflected in poolside chlorine, an arched
e yebrow from Walter Meyers, that Dean of

a dolescent possibilities, & where a writer crafts
r eality (or at least it seems), and I
e volve from storytelling, poetic dreams, as

t he beautiful writer screams at the
i nsanity of the sane, the saneness of our chaos,
m e, her, him, they, us ---
e arthquakes in deep water
s end ripples to the surface, resting bitch face, a

t ouch-me-and-die face
o vertured in a symphony of existence.

S houts are rarely heard in silence, but
P oems capture the clutter of noisy voices,
E very second, all our choices,
A nnouncing who we are supposed to be -
K nowledge, truth, love - the trinity to set us free.

a nd a book is written. a confession,
n orse codes for our imperfection, where
d anish fjords become explanation,

t eaching water to flow in Anderson ways.
i magination is a gift for the soul, it prays,
m anages pain, blooms branches w/ sun-rays, &
e verything evolves at exactly the right time -
s ongs composed/praised to counter its crime

t hat sing survival through rhythm and rhyme, that
o ffer humanity to counter its slime.

S hame turned inside out - 
H ow the story found a page,
O mnipotent strength from a writer's rage
U ntangling Gordian knots -- all un-
T wisted and crafted by a poetic sage.

Thank you, Laurie.

Two things happened to me yesterday. The first is I finished Laurie Halse Anderson's SHOUT. I will read it again and I will read it again after that. There's no review, no poem, not enough like buttons or accolades that would give SHOUT the review it deserves. Nothing can be said to cover the brilliance of this memoir - this gift to the world...this poetic gift...this testimony to perseverance...this data for what can be accomplished when one overcomes and builds might with the mind.

The second thing that happened was listening to Bennita Love, a keynote at the Literacy Research Association Annual Conference. I was blessed twice in one day...so much so that at night I needed to sit alone last night and to think deeply about the power of fighting and taking back the narratives. Once again, strength is built through writing.

It is difficult work, but as LOVE made it known...We're gonna be alright.

Why? Because some are brave enough to take the stage and to speak truth to systems and institutions and traditions. Such bravery deserves applause.