Vox Populi
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Rosaly DeMaios Roffman: When Christina Called
Here's what she said-
my son's babysitter
She said it in PRAYOTIS
which he made up
and spoke with her
when she came over
in her flannel shirts
She told him even then
it is not possible to sit
in a corner of Rhode Island
and have only walls to talk to
She said it would be thrilling
and powerful to have a language
that only the two of you forever know
and she said this in his language
But she was then even too young
to know her own wisdom of saying
and speaking the way a 3 year old
would understand-- with crayons
and music and games in PRAYOTIS
And when he was little and screamed
because the circus in town was rained out
she then told him to wait--to please wait--
that old issue of trust in the steady gods--
that trust when it's safe and you're in bed
and you wake up to see your dad sipping tea
from a glass like your grandfather did once
She wanted to remind him I think
that we're not past telling old stories
and while the raging goes on and on--
we need invention, the history of the world
poor world, to start over again, one two, three
Just let the gods guarantee everyone
a right to love in their own language
Go forth, sing in your PRAYOTIS she said
Let your song teach us every day
neither to laugh at nor kill one another
Copyright 2021 Rosaly DeMaios Roffman
Rosaly DeMaios Roffman’s many books include I Want To Thank My Eyes (Tebot Bach, 2012).
Photo: Unsplash
Vox Populi 
Michael–such a privilege to be in here with all the fine poets and your commentary. You are such an important voice in our lives and community–you make this time without a tense bearable –you teach us every day by the words you choose–words never taken lightly–you spell out humanity– we ride with you…and we thank you!!!
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What a lovely thing to say, Rosaly, and from a poet I admire immensely. Thank you for your writing, teaching, mentoring and activism. YOU are the one with the important voice.
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