Erica Waters

We’re already all here, the lot of us,
more than the sum of our parts,
 
oneness not sameness, diversity
that spins. Shared meal persists,
 
even when we trust too much in knives,
even when we break dishes, spill wine,
 
or smile naming broccoli,
lung, tree, forest, air,
 
and breath separately
and then more separately.
 
Can we help ourselves?
 
We reach for our own
children with names.
 
We reach for stars
and sense with names.
 
We clock in with names.
Such is our hunger.
 
Here is bread.
Will you pass the salt?
 
Here is water.
Will you pass the kale?
 
Here is table.
Will you help keep us safe?

These are three poems from body, a poetry manuscript that challenges “myths of exceptional individualism as constructed within colonial and capitalist contexts.” I’ve chosen a range of three to represent some of the directions I’ve explored toward We – both human and environmental – in the collection. As our Environment is also a co-creator in our health, to me, highlighting its presence in our life and embodiment matters. To me, Earth is kin, and by making this more visible, we have more opportunity to realize that all humans are connected in this way too.

I so firmly share About Place Journal’s value to “promote an understanding of the interconnectedness of all living beings and this earth we share” toward more Justice that I’ve spent 15 years writing body – a unique poetry collection that locates the body as earth and the i as firmly interwoven with place and people. It has taken me a long time because of the ambitious nature of the work as well as professional and personal responsibilities like being a parent, but it’s done now and I’m just starting to submit it as a whole for publication.