Naomi
Shihab Nye, poet, essayist, anthologist, has been a recipient
of writing fellowships from the Lannan Foundation, the Guggenheim
Foundation and the Witter Bynner Foundation/Library of Congress.
Author of more than twenty volumes, her recent books include
Mint Snowball and 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems
of the Middle East which was selected as a National Book
Award finalist in 2002. Her books of poems include Fuel
(BOA Editions) and Red Suitcase (BOA). Nye's
work has been featured on the PBS poetry specials NOW with
Bill Moyers , The Language of Life with Bill Moyers
and The United States of Poetry . She has read
her work on National Public Radio's Prairie Home Companion.
Poetry editor for The Texas Observer, Nye
has worked for as a visiting writer in schools at all educational
levels. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.
An excerpt from Those Whom We Do Not Know
I support all people on earth
who have bodies like and unlike my body,
skins and moles and old scars,
secret and public hair,
crooked toes. I support
those who have done nothing large,
sifter of lentils, sifter of wisdoms,
speak. If we have killed no one
in the name of anything bad or good,
may light feed our leafiest veins.
I support clothes in the wash-kettle,
a woman stirring and stirring
with stick, paddle, soaking out grime,
simple clothes the size of bodies
pinned to the sky.
(This poem is reprinted from Naomi Shihab Nye's collection [ Red Suitcase]. It is being featured by a coalition of Rochester art organizations working to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur. Read more about that program at [witness.eastmanhouse.org]
To
read Naomi Shihab Nye's Language of Life interview with Bill Moyers
[click
here]
Books by Naomi Shihab Nye:
Fuel
Red Suitcase
You & Yours
