Reading “Alive Together” by Lisel Mueller
Poetry Lunch S1E1
Hey everybody, here’s a poem for you read in honor of my grandmother who I used to have lunch with on Tuesdays—this is me (Myrna) reading “Alive Together” by Lisel Mueller, from her new and selected collection by the same title, published by LSU Press.
I am posting here unedited with stumbles and backwards-reading book and print included because, well, it’s honest! Obviously I’m uncomfortable on video and I don’t know how the selfie mode works but I got reminded recently these are social spaces and humans like to see humans sometimes. Me included!
Thanks for being alive, together, with me.
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Related print
"Speaking of marvels, ..."
So starts the poem "Alive Together" by Lisel Mueller. It continues "... I am alive, / together with you ..."
I always imagined this print as a fill-in-the-blank story starter. What do you marvel at?
This week I've been listening to recordings of my gramma reading poems. She got the point of this print immediately when I first showed it to her, though I was worried it was too abstract. I used to have lunch with her every week and I'd often bring a proof of whatever I was working on. She lived full alive, sharp of wit, and suffered no obtuseness--a great litmus test always for my wandering artist brain.
My gramma died a couple months ago and I miss her tons. Maybe one day I'll pluck up the courage and technical ability to share some of the recordings I have of her reading some of the poems I've printed. For now, I'll continue reading to you.
Love your loved ones! Marvel with them, listen to them, have lunch with them. The greatest gift we have to give is our attention.
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Links to purchase
Get the book here: Alive Together and the print here: Speaking of Marvels.
