November 28, 2022

Dear Reader—

Please accept a gift from all of us at the Academy of American Poets this Giving Tuesday—“Dusting” by Marilyn Nelson, which was recently shared by David St. John at our annual reading, Gather in Poems. In her poem, Nelson reminds us of the wonderful complexities found in the simplest of moments.

We also hope you’ll enjoy revisiting our special Gather in Poems reading below, with our thanks to you for your readership and for supporting our work of sharing poems—and the gift of reflection poems offer—with thousands of readers today and every day.

Warmly,

Jennifer Benka
Executive Director

P.S. We are grateful for the support of our readers, whose donations make our free programs and publications possible. As we enter the giving season, I hope you’ll consider including the Academy of American Poets in your end-of-year contributions.

Dusting

Marilyn Nelson

Thank you for these tiny
particles of ocean salt,
pearl-necklace viruses,
winged protozoans:
for the infinite,
intricate shapes
of submicroscopic
living things.

For algae spores
and fungus spores,
bonded by vital
mutual genetic cooperation,
spreading their
inseparable lives
from equator to pole.

My hand, my arm,
make sweeping circles.
Dust climbs the ladder of light.
For this infernal, endless chore,
for these eternal seeds of rain:
Thank you. For dust.

Gather in Poems, November 17, 2022

Gather in Poems

Revisit the poems read as part of our annual celebration of poetry & community:

“Perhaps the World Ends Here” by Joy Harjo, read by Jennifer Benka
“from The Black Maria” by Aracelis Girmay, read by Tracy K. Smith
“Dusting” by Marilyn Nelson, read by David St. John
“Sampling” by Ralph Angel, also read by David St. John
“Spilled Sugar” by Thylias Moss, read by Hanif Abdurraqib
“Amphibious” by Aimee Suzara, read by Sasha Pimentel
“Aubade at the City of Change” by Aldo Amparán, also read by Sasha Pimentel
“Cento Between the Ending and the End” by Cameron Awkward-Rich, read by TC Tolbert
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson, read by Dorianne Laux
“Briefly It Enters, and Briefly Speaks” by Jane Kenyon, read by Marie Howe
“The Day Lady Died” by Frank O’Hara, read by Lloyd Schwartz
“In the Company of Women” by January Gill O’Neil, read by Marilyn Nelson
“The Idea of Ancestry” by Etheridge Knight, read by Juan Felipe Herrera
“Thanks” by Yusef Komunyakaa, read by Natasha Trethewey
“Offering” by Donika Kelly, read by Sumita Chakraborty
“Map” by Linda Hogan, read by Mai Der Vang
“The Chance” by Arthur Sze, read by Tina Chang

The Academy of American Poets presents free programs and resources year-round, thanks to the support of our community. If you are moved to make a gift in honor of Giving Tuesday, we are grateful for your contribution.

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Poem-a-Day - A gift for you for Giving Tuesday

Dusting

Gather in Poems

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