Episode 23: A Ritual to Read to Each Other

Carrie and Parker explore William Stafford’s poem, A Ritual to Read to Each Other. Taking one verse at a time, they talk about the light the poem sheds on this moment of national awakening and our response to it. The work required to rid the U.S. of structural racism has been left undone for 240 years—the road ahead is long and we need light along the way.

On our Conversation Starter page for this episode we’ve included several questions for personal or community reflection. If the work Carrie and Parker describe in this episode feels like your work, please take a listen and reflect on whatever arises for you. Better yet, reflect with some friends. Here are some questions that came to us, one for each verse:

(1) From your own life, do you have stories about what it means to follow “the wrong god” home, misled by “a pattern that others made”? (2) Can you think of examples of childhood challenges that show up in adult life to make things difficult once again? (3) How do you understand the poet’s claim that it’s “cruel” to “know what occurs but not recognize the fact”? (4) What does it take to speak truthfully with family, friends, and colleagues instead of trying to fool each other? (5) To what can you say a clear “yes,” to what a clear “no,” and to what must you say “maybe”?

And while you’re at it, download our Conversation Starter HERE.

For a downloadable version of the poem “A Ritual To Read Each Other” by William Stafford click the down load button.