Alice Walker's poem "Patriot" opened my mind today

Posted by Catherine Stifter  February 22, 2008

I read a poem today that opened my mind. And the ideas I encountered have stayed with me. This poem, by Alice Walker, touches on ethnic diversity, post 9/11 discrimination, racism, and poverty. It offers a completely startling and spiritual response to these issues that I've been somewhat reluctant to face for a while.

Before 9/11, I used to wear a gaudy rhinestone pin of the American flag, given to me by a Vietnam vet friend. It sparked some very interesting dialogue with both friends and strangers. My comeback to questions about why I wore a flag pin was, "Doesn't every American have the right to claim our national symbol? Doesn't it also stand for MY ideals of country, faith, and family? Why leave it only to those stereotypical "flag-wavers"? Since 9/11, I've been reluctant to enter into those challenging conversations. And even reluctant to identify as an American. But, reading this poem, "Patriot" makes me reconsider wearing my flag pin.

The poem speaks to me in a way that I have somehow longed to hear, without even knowing I needed to hear it. And helps me to hold up my frustration and anger at the behavior of Americans right next to my love of this country and acknowledge that for me, both of these feelings exist in the same space.

 

Patriot by Alice Walker

from her 2003 poetry collection, "Absolute Faith in the Goodness of the Earth"

If you

Want to show

Your love

For America

Love

Americans

Smile

When you see

One

Flowerlike

His

Turban

Rosepink.

 

Rejoice

At the

Eagle feather

In a grandfather's

Braid.

 

If a sister

Bus rider's hair
Is

Especially

Nappy

A miracle

In itself

Praise it.

 

How can there be

Homeless

In a land

So crammed

With houses

 

&

Young children

Sold

As sex snacks

Causing our thoughts

To flinch &

Snag?

 

Love your country

By loving

Americans.

 

Love Americans.

 

Salute the soul

& the body

Of who we

Spectacularly &

Sometimes

Pitifully are.

Love us. We are

The flag.

 

Learn more about the author Alice Walker on Wikipedia.

Tags: Alice Walker, patriotism, poetry
Topics: Cultural Competence, Ending Racism



Comments

Radical Love

Submitted by Gale Petersen on February 25, 2008 - 1:23pm.
Thank you Catherine. I need to be reminded to love and that the soft can overcome the hard. I'm reminded of how years ago, my then partner, Bobbie, once told me that Molly Ivins had said that Democrats ought to love Republicans. I was so startled that I think of it still.

And I like the idea of you wearing a gaudy U.S. flag pin.

--Gale Petersen
Media and Technology Co-Director
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