Written piece
Zip-lining between area codes
Gerry Sikazwe
Zambia
About this piece
It is a poem that I wrote to capture the idea that when all hope is lost, try air. Try breathing, try extending your hands beyond your present location. Try what you cannot see. Especially, in efforts to unite again the wide sky of humanity. Reach out to the openness.
the ground can seem
to be
a
tightrope
with giant elephants
on each side, running
towards you
to crush you:
the only parlay
lies in holding hands, holding
air in your lungs
evidence that gravity
and inertia
will abide in restraint
only if we
hold hands with air.
hold hands with
whoever is close
to you.
hold hands
for whoever
is close
to you.