H e a r t   S o n s   &   H e a r t   D a u g h t e r s   of   A l l e n   G i n s b e r g

N a p a l m   H e a l t h   S p a :   R e p o r t   2 0 1 4 :   A r c h i v e s   E d i t i o n

 

 

ELIOT KATZ

 

 

Sitting to Praise

 

I am sitting down at my kitchen table

to write a praise poem

for the people of my country–– 

the people and the oceans––

some of the people,

the oceans future-cleansed.

I am sitting to celebrate the way Americans

have responded since 9/11

by recognizing the value of each human life––

only that's not what really happened.

But it happened for many Americans,

so I'm celebrating you––

you know who you are.

 

 

[Originally published in NHS 2006, http://www.poetspath.com/napalm/nhs06/Katz.htm.]