And also at the retreat, we had the beautiful reading
last night.
And then also during some of our discussions,
we talked about water.
The water in us and the water around us.
And how we know water in our language, the words for water,
for instance.
And so I want to share this last one, which is about water
and my own journey with water.
And at the end, it references my friend
from Massachusetts, Wampanoag linguist and her work.
Anyway, so these are the water places.
It's called "Blessings for Water."
I've imagined the Gila River as it ran through the desert
with all its bounty.
Where today, the children say they can hear the river running.
I've touched the waters of the White River in Eastern Arizona.
I have put my foot in the slow currents of the San Pedro.
I've ridden the waves of the Colorado and rested
on its flows, paying homage to the deities and spirits that
call the canyons home.
I've seen the Rio Grande run rapids in the north and meander
through the flats of southern New Mexico,
where whooping cranes rest on their way home.
I've lived in a place called Red River, where there was no river,
but named for a movie.
I've lived near the Rillito River, a river named twice.
A river that can flow with the best during rainy winters
and rich summer monsoons.
A dry riverbed, most of the year harboring the homeless and those
alone.
As for larger bodies of water, we must pray at their feet
and give gifts.
I have done so and record them here to be witnessed.
I have offered blessings at the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, Los
Angeles, La Jolla, Ventura Beach, surrounded by vacationers
and dogs chasing Frisbees.
I have offered prayer at a dry, hot desert
beach in the Gulf of California, with only Mexican fishermen
caring for their nets as alibi.
I have humbled myself on the black beaches of Hawaii, twice
the beach at Waikiki, oblivious to bronze bodies and surfers
who would testify.
I have offered blessing only once
at the Atlantic Ocean at Martha's Vineyard,
with the woman who shook a language from sleep
as my witness.
Thank you very much.
[APPLAUSE]
Yeah.
I just want to thank everyone for being here.
And Tyler, I want to thank you, and Kim, and everybody.
I'm going to leave people out.
I should say we do have some developments
in our breaking news story that have just come in.
My mom texted me and she said the emcee is great.
Oh, thank you.
I didn't ask for that.
Thank you.
I just love the poets reading their own poems.
This is her-- this is her talking.
It gives poetry a whole new meaning.
Thank them all.
So let's thank them all.
[APPLAUSE]
Oh, and we do have books for sale.
And I should know where that is.
But I just got here an hour ago, so it's--
oh, it's back there.
OK.
Yeah.
So thanks for everyone for coming.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]