Ramya Mudumba

“WHAT IS A POEM?

Such slight changes in air pressure,
Tongue and palate,
And the difference in teeth.
Transparent words.

Why do I want to say ochre,
Or what is green-yellow?
The sisters of those leaves on the ground
Still lisp on the branches.
Why do I want to imitate them?

Having come this far
With a handful of alphabet,
I am forced,
With these few blocks,
To invent the universe.”
― Ruth Stone, The Essential Ruth Stone

“I know
you don’t always understand,
but let me point to the first
wet drops landing on the stones,
the noise like fingers drumming
the skin. I can’t help it. I will
never get over making everything
such a big deal.”
― Ada Limon, The Carrying

“I sometimes stood for long moments
listening to some bird telling me of the strangeness of myself”
― Ruth Stone, In the Next Galaxy

“blinded visionary that locks the moon in place;
I am the simple sieve that drinks the universe.”
― Ruth Stone, In the Next Galaxy