Where River Meets Ocean

by Devorah Major

This collection of poetry begins with the poet’s inaugural address as Laureate of San Francisco, a sparkling essay that shows how poetry can please and empower. Strong, introspective and caring, major’s poems capture the challenge and joy of being an artist, as they survey the political and social landscapes of one of America’s favorite cities. "A visionary of hope, with a heart big enough to embrace every neighborhood, street and alley in this magical and -poetical city. Here is a poet who shoots straight as Cupid’s arrow. Zing! Right to the heart."—Alejandro Murguía devorah major is a poet, novelist, and essayist who has published prize-winning works of fiction and poetry. Among her books are Open Weave,Brown Glass Windows , and Street Smarts . She lives in San Francisco and works as an editor and arts administrator.

Genres: Poetry

104 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Born and raised in California but traveling throughout the United States and Europe, Asia and parts of the Caribbean devorah major served as San Francisco Poet Laureate 2002 through 2006. In addition to being a poet she is a performer, lecturer, fiction and creative non-fiction writer, and editor. A trained actress and former dancer, she approaches poetry as both a written and performing art.

--from the author's website

Reviews

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

on masks
i find it hard to breathe
inside a mask
my face immediately
begins to sweat
my nose to itch
my cheeks to chafe

yet how beautiful
they are who wear masks well
revealing a hidden essence
under the guise of artifice

how beautiful they are
who become the mask
awaken an ancient song
and help its spirit dance

but as for me
I keep my mask inside
eyes closed
sealing the mouth
of my heart

I bought this book of poetry back when I visited San Francisco for the first time. I visited City Lights and thought I should have a souvenir from that visit. Of course, possession is almost as good as reading, so I just got around to reading Major’s amazing poems.

Here we are, not traveling, needing masks while we social distance. I am sure Major was not thinking of just real masks, but the poem is so appropriate. I am grateful I found it now.

This has been a year of discovering more about my racism. I joined an antiracist book group and it has been enlightening and hard. Once again, I am thankful for Major’s way with words. I might not have found this poem so powerful if I had read it a few years ago.

Who knows if I will ever get to San Francisco again. At least I have a piece of its world on my poetry shelves.

august has always been black for us

we are born every month
in every month we die
each month has some triumphs
and each carries its own defeats

but august
august has always been black for us
black august since those first twenty
landed in 1619 jamestown
and felt its wet hungry
lash cut their sturdy backs
as they discovered how deepl
shackles could cleave

that first twenty
of millions who would
drown or slave
and did not know
how many centuries
spirit, flesh, and soul
would stay bound
by the scars
from that august arrival

we remember nat turner
and hold onto george jackson
we do not forget his brother jonathan
and the others who fell and fall
warriors reaching for freedom

a MOVE house flooded
burned and crushed
that philadelphia august day
and august night when watts exploded
black reflecting on a fire sky

we’ve known this month
for nearly four hundred years
we know this august

this august that has
always been
black
for us

[Leela Srinivasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. I gave it as a present to someone who loves poetry as much as I do, and I think that speaks for itself.

Edit: I read it before I gave it to him and "tendered love" and "untitled ancestry" and "amends" stood out very much to me