May 2021
she put down the book read her own palms
deerskin taut over hollowed log
wisps and waves brisking hands shoulders ears air she
escaped reaching places
no book could conjure
she was many
young
through the ages
—in dialogue with Cecil Youngfox’s painting, Instructions on Drumming
Salimah Valiani is a poet, activist and researcher. Her latest poetry collection, 29 leads to love, will be launched very soon.