Adrienne Rich, called by the New York Times “a poet of towering reputation and towering rage,” died on Tuesday at the age of 82. An extraordinarily passionate and respected poet and political figure with a voice that spoke often and loudly against the oppression of women — she will be remembered.
***
I am here, the mermaid whose dark hair
streams black, the merman in his armored body
We circle silently about the wreck
we dive into the hold….
We are, I am, you are
by cowardice or courage
the one who find our way
back to the scene
carrying a knife, a camera
a book of myths
in which
our names do not appear.
35 Notes