If this Poetic Interlude feels like a message or mirror, share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.
What practices of care do I offer to, and receive from, those I love? In this Poetic Interlude, Malik Thompson shares their poem “Overture,” first published in Hayden’s Ferry Review.
Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest.
Settle into the work of Malik Thompson and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest.
Poem: “Overture”
You sleeping beside me
where green waves buckle
& thorns
The flag was mine & fallen:
a year, a minute, lifetimes
exhausted in our waking months
Half-night purple & purple
wind easing through
this city of glass & doubts
You shatter My flag
& its star-bleached insignia
torn Sleeping beside you
I buckle
Your hand inside me
foreign & warm
Reflections
One lover addresses the other in a realm somewhere between waking and dream. The two attain solace and intimacy in one another, yes; however, the speaker acknowledges that this intimacy, as is the case for all forms of intimacy, is precarious and laden with potential divisions. In spite of that which could so easily divide our lovers, they remain entwined.
As you metabolize this poem, I’d love if you ask yourself; what practices of care do I offer to, and receive from, those I love?
About the Poet
Malik Thompson (he/they) is a queer African-American person living in Baltimore. Having worked in independent bookstores for many years, he is also the former Co-Chair of OutWrite DC and has taught workshops for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Hurston/Wright Foundation, and other organizations. His work has been published in the Cincinnati Review, Denver Quarterly, Hayden’s Ferry Review, and elsewhere. He has received fellowships and residencies from organizations including Cave Canem, Lambda Literary, the Anderson Center, and Monson Arts.
PUBLICATIONS: Hayden’s Ferry Review
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Meet the Host:
Dana Tenille Weekes
Dana Tenille Weekes made the conscious decision to live in a mindset of rest as self-liberation after nearly 15 years as a lawyer-lobbyist in Washington, DC. In 2020, Dana faced the darkest period of her life, which eventually led her to resign from a top global law firm and take a year-long journey of rest in 2022.
In 2023, Dana launched Thrive Architects, a strategic advising and professional development firm building advocacy, organizational health, and well-being platforms for organizations, communities, and people to thrive.
The Rest of Us podcast is one way Dana is building community for professionals and advocates on the brink of burnout to think about rest differently. If you’re interested in embracing rest as liberation, especially after the podcast episode ends, join our community where we converse, connect, cultivate, and lean into our creativity.