"[we are]" by Quenton Baker

[View this email on a browser]( [Forward to a friend]( [facebook-icon]( [tumblr-icon]( [twitter-icon]( August 28, 2019 [we are]( [Quenton Baker]( we are prayer in the long boat a rhizomatic scream surrounded by the dark dagger of the ocean scripture in its entirety is anticipation of the lilt and yet there is no word for the rhythm we endure across this dirtless moment antibird, we sing like birds textured and untrained rugged the love that claps in the chasm of our black palms [Like this on Facebook]( [Share via Twitter]( Copyright © 2019 Quenton Baker. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on August 28, 2019, by the Academy of American Poets. [Baker reads "[we are]."]( About This Poem “This poem is part of a commissioned series on homage. I chose this (tense-shifted) [Nathaniel Mackey]( line, from ‘Anouman Sandrofia’ in Nod House (New Directions, 2011), because I am deeply indebted to not only his ability to create a new English, but also his attention to the weight and sonic composition of the line. His work is among the work of many phenomenal poets which have made and continue to make my own work possible.” —Quenton Baker [Quenton Baker]( Quenton Baker is the author of This Glittering Republic (Willow Books, 2016). He lives in Seattle, Washington. Photo Credit: Dean Davis [This Glittering Republic]( Poetry by Baker [This Glittering Republic]( (Willow Books, 2016) "Said to Have Been Heard to Say Hush" by Nathaniel Mackey [read-more]( "The Voice of God" by Crystal Williams [read-more]( "At Anchor: The Real Situation" by Kwame Dawes [read-more]( August Guest Editor: Ruth Ellen Kocher Thanks to [Ruth Ellen Kocher](, author of Third Voice (Tupelo Press, 2016), who curated Poem-a-Day for this month’s weekdays. Read a [Q&A with Kocher]( about her curatorial approach this month and find out more about our [guest editors for the year.]( Your Support Makes Poem-a-Day Possible Poem-a-Day is the only digital series publishing new, previously unpublished work by today's poets each weekday morning. This free series, which also features a curated selection of classic poems on the weekends, reaches 450,000+ readers daily. [make a one-time donation]( [illustration]( [Small-Blue-RGB-poets.org-Logo]( Thanks for being a part of the Academy of American Poets community. To learn about other programs, including National Poetry Month, Poem in Your Pocket Day, the annual Poets Forum, and more, visit [Poets.org](. You are receiving this e-mail because you elected to subscribe to our mailing list. If you would like to unsubscribe, please click [here](. © Academy of American Poets 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038 From Our Sponsors [Advertisement](