Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HOW WE DID IT, by MURIEL RUKEYSER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HOW WE DID IT, by         Recitation by Author         Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: We all traveled into that big room,
Last Line: Waiting for morning
Subject(s): Antiwar Movement; Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975


We all traveled into that big room,
some from very far away
we smiled at some we knew
we did not as we talked agree
our hearts went fast thinking of morning
when we would walk along the path.
We spoke. Late night. We disagreed.
We knew we would climb the Senate steps.
We knew we would present our claim
we would demand : be strong now : end the war.
How would we do it? What would we ask?
We will be warned, one said."They will warn us and take us."
We can speak and walk away.
We can lie down as if in mourning.
We can lie down as a way of speech,
speaking of all the dead in Asia."
Then Eqbal said,"We are not at this moment
a revolutionary group,we are
a group of dissenters. Let some, then,
walk away, let some stand until they want to leave,
let some lie down and let some be arrested. Some of us.
Let each do what he feels at that moment
tomorrow." Eqbal's dark face.
The doctor spoke, of friendships made in jail.
We looked into each other's eyes
and went all to our rooms, to sleep,
waiting for morning.





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