Podcast Summary: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Episode: 1247: A Garden and a Street by Teresa Cader
Release Date: November 26, 2024
Host: Major Jackson
Produced by: American Public Media in partnership with The Poetry Foundation

Introduction: Navigating a World in Turmoil

In this episode of The Slowdown, host Major Jackson delves into the complexities of celebrating personal achievements, such as publishing a book, amidst the pervasive pain and division in the world. He reflects on conversations with friends and observations from recent book festivals, highlighting the tension between personal joy and global suffering.

Major Jackson (01:06): "I recently expressed my excitement to a friend about seeing their poetry collection in the window of a favorite bookstore of mine. They shrugged their shoulders. They said they could not celebrate while observing so much pain and division in the world."

Jackson discusses the overarching sense that "something is not right" globally, leading to strained relationships and internal grief. Despite these challenges, he observes that daily life continues—baristas make coffee, bus drivers follow their routes, and professors teach—illustrating the resilience of human routines amidst chaos.

Major Jackson (01:30): "The barista makes coffee, the bus driver stops along a route, and we board. A professor lectures on the history of empire."

The Role of Poetry: A Beacon of Awakening and Frustration

Jackson emphasizes the vital role poetry plays in both awakening listeners to societal issues and expressing the frustration that comes with witnessing unimaginable violence and suffering. He underscores poetry as a means of perseverance against despair and a tool for seeking harmonious connections in a fractured world.

Major Jackson (02:00): "Poetry holds that place of both awakening and frustration, a perseverance against unimaginable violence and the flight away from the pains of our fragile world."

He voices a hopeful outlook, envisioning a future where hatred no longer has an audience and conflicts cease, urging collective effort toward this peaceful aspiration.

Major Jackson (02:15): "Someday the bombs will stop falling. Someday the rhetoric of hatred will not have an audience. Isn't this something that we all should work toward until then?"

Featured Poem: A Garden and a Street by Teresa Cader

The centerpiece of the episode is the poignant poem "A Garden and a Street" by Teresa Cader, which explores the dichotomy between serene natural spaces and the harsh realities of urban devastation.

Poem Excerpt:

"...where in my body do I feel peace? The meditation leader wants to know, and I scanned my mind, trying to remember the Japanese white stone garden raked in concentric circles around smooth, dark boulders, no human footprint visible, as if some spirit had descended from the sky to rake before dawn. Instead I see a street of rubble from bombed out buildings, jagged hunks of concrete blocking the way, bits of bloodied cloth snagged on top like flags..."
"Can I use my breath to unclench, my mind returning to the white stones, letting go of fear and my attachment to the suffering of the world? He asks. And I say, I don't know if I find peace in the white stones of the garden, but don't clean up the rubble of the street. What good is my mind?"
— Teresa Cader (02:45)

Analysis: The Inner Struggle Between Peace and Chaos

Jackson interprets the poem as a reflection of the internal struggle to find personal peace amidst external chaos. The imagery of the tranquil Japanese garden contrasts sharply with the devastation of a bombed street, symbolizing the clash between serenity and turmoil within the human psyche.

Major Jackson (03:10): "Can I use my breath to unclench, my mind returning to the white stones, letting go of fear and my attachment to the suffering of the world?"

The poem's speaker grapples with whether to seek solitude in moments of peace or engage with the harsh realities that demand attention and action. This tension encapsulates the broader theme of maintaining inner harmony while addressing collective suffering.

Major Jackson (03:25): "I don't know if I find peace in the white stones of the garden, but don't clean up the rubble of the street. What good is my mind?"

Conclusion: Striving for Harmonious Connection

Concluding the episode, Jackson reiterates the importance of poetry as a medium for healing and connection. He emphasizes the shared human experience of grief and the collective aspiration for a more harmonious world.

Major Jackson (04:00): "We must find a way to restore ourselves to a place of harmonious connection with and belief in all life."

Jackson encourages listeners to engage with poetry as a daily ritual to inspire calm, reflection, and a deeper understanding of our interconnected journeys.

Additional Information:

• Listen to Previous Episodes: Explore episodes by former hosts Tracy K. Smith and Ada Limón, and guest hosts Jenny Xie, Brenda Shaughnessy, Tina Chang, Nate Marshall, Shira Erlichiman, and Jason Schneiderman.
• Subscribe & Stay Connected: Visit slowdownshow.org to sign up for the newsletter and receive daily poems. Follow The Slowdown on Instagram for updates and community engagement.
• Support Poetry: Give the gift of poetry with Poetry Magazine’s gift bundle, including subscriptions and exclusive merchandise. Subscribe at poetrymagazine.org.

Notable Quotes:

• Major Jackson (01:06): "I recently expressed my excitement to a friend about seeing their poetry collection in the window of a favorite bookstore of mine. They shrugged their shoulders. They said they could not celebrate while observing so much pain and division in the world."

• Major Jackson (02:15): "Someday the bombs will stop falling. Someday the rhetoric of hatred will not have an audience. Isn't this something that we all should work toward until then?"

• Major Jackson (03:25): "I don't know if I find peace in the white stones of the garden, but don't clean up the rubble of the street. What good is my mind?"

The Slowdown continues to provide a serene space for listeners to engage with poetry and reflection, fostering a collective pause to appreciate the beauty and complexity of life through the lens of poetry.