Adrienne Rich had a way of bringing together beauty and pain and pointing to what was hidden, but needed light. This poem exemplifies that spirit. I was lucky enough to see her read and speak at Ithaca College shortly after 9/11. Her work and writing on intersectionality and the politics of poetry still read as relevant today as when she wrote them.

I am choosing a visual image to embroider from each poem I pick during National Poetry Month. Mushrooms recycle, transform and absorb, they grow in the shadows and have contributed their gifts to humans in so many ways.

What Kind of Times are These? by Adrienne Rich

Happy Poetry Month!