And my privileges place me also Amid the mass delusion That sees nothing of itself In that man on the horse.
That man on the horse
Author: Courtney McKinney
Can’t take me away from me
I belong to no one but myself. I come from strong lines, I come from hard truths, but at the end of the day, my spirit is new -- uniquely my own, and my primary responsibility is to cultivate my soul... It’s how I give myself permission to listen to the ancestors who pull me toward them.
What Biden should have said to Trump
Last Tuesday, Donald Trump and Joe Biden had their first presidential debate. I went through a wide range of emotions during and after, from exasperation to amusement. I've spent the last week thinking about the subtle things I missed, thanks to the distracting embarrassment that was the current president’s behavior. I've come to realize that … Continue reading What Biden should have said to Trump
Racism Fuels Wildfire
This post originally appeared at wclp.org. California is burning out of control, in part, because of racism toward indigenous people and practices. We can’t afford to continue this way. At the beginning of the month, the Trump Administration issued a memo to stop diversity training for federal agencies; the Administration called lessons about America’s history of racism … Continue reading Racism Fuels Wildfire
Dispatch From the Coal Mine
Yesterday a friend called me A canary in a coal mine, A melancholy honor An inconvenient truth. I don’t strive to see it - I just say what I see Clearly In front of me. Everyone has the opportunity The same things happen in our face But most decide to look away -- toward the … Continue reading Dispatch From the Coal Mine
Nuclear family can’t contain or constrain fatherly love
If we shatter the lie that fathers exist only within the structure of nuclear family — if we decolonize family, we open possibilities for responsibility, care, resources, and love. People benefit when community encourages men to father as a verb, rather than restricting it to a noun. There, fathers abound.
Not the white man’s world
You cannot hide forever Behind your ignorance and fear You cannot build a fortress with enough cameras To stop that insecurity you feel
Outside, with my lover
I’d rather stay here.
Caressing the grass.
Teasing the bees.
Swaying with trees.
An Earthling’s Earth Day Prayer
Who are we if not Earthlings? I don't want Mars. I don't want ever-present WiFi. I want Earth to remain untamed, out of our control. We’ve proven ourselves unworthy stewards for now -- we don’t get to expand this unsustainable domain.
It may be an unpopular opinion, but I hope Earth always checks us before we change her for good. Like a loving but stern mother, it is my belief she will.
Why they couldn’t love me
He lives in Mexico, the most recent. We saw each other at the airport — close physical reflections of one another. He caught my eye while he was on the phone, as he held the tram door open for me. But it was late and I was tired, so I rushed from the tram to … Continue reading Why they couldn’t love me
Courtney McKinney 