winks through
blue curtains,
house silent,
save Mama's
hacking -
so I leap up,
wake-dress-feed
my sister."
That is the beginning of a poem called Compassion. It continues the story of a young girl and her sister comforting their mother and wishing her well before the two head to the bus on their own. At the bottom of the page we are told the poem is an aubade: a morning song. The facing page features a quote from Julian Lester (This Strange New Feeling: Three Love Stories from Black History). It is followed by a note from Irene that speaks to the meaning of compassion for her, and ends with the following;
"Compassion needn't be a grand gesture. In fact, it is often
the smallest moments of connection that carry us through
tough times."
Further to that, there is a prompt for readers to TRY IT! She suggests looking around to find someone you can help with something. Then, do it!
What a rare, and lovely dictionary this is. It begins with an abecedarian written by both authors that clearly states the premise for this new collaboration. They then move forward with 48 words described in quotes, prompts, meaningful remembrances, and a wide variety of poetic forms. They range from that first abecedarian to villanelle. Each is described in a concise caption. Both poets pen personal stories that relate to the word being considered. Their encouragement to try something new is accessible to their audience in both word and deed.
Reading this book more than a few times makes me hopeful for the future - something we sure need now more than ever. The language is inspirational, the suggestions meant to improve our communities and make a connection with the people who live in them. Most letters suggest two words, some just one, and a few more than two. Each is meaningful and worthy of being here.
The final poem has an abundance of meaning for these trying times:
"The Etymology of Progress
After gathering these words,
we discover
our dictionary is endless!
What makes the world
a zinger
is remembering
we're all in this
together"
Mehrdokht Amini's mixed media artwork is wonderful, adding much to the tone of the book. Back matter is extensive. There you will find an author's note, a list of books, poems, and speech referenced, an extensive list of books for further reading, a list of poetry resources for readers wanting to know more, an alphabetized index of poetic forms, and a gratitude list.
It will be on my bedside table for a long while. Bravo!
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