Celebrating a Heroine

Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

IN THE STEPS OF RBG

Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time. —Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as quoted in Notorious RBG

So let me take one step right now,

one step toward respect.

And give me strength to take another

toward clarity. And though

my feet might feel like stones, let

me take another step toward justice.

And another toward equity. And another

toward truth. And though my legs

may feel leaden and slow, though someone

else may step on my toes, may I inch

toward forgiveness. May every step

be toward a bridge. Enough divisiveness.

And as I go, may I find joy in the stepping,

grace in the edging toward great change.

But if there’s little joy, let me step anyway.

Then take another step. And another. And another.

—from Poets Respond September 20, 2020

__________

Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer: “I think of all the ways that this one woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, changed the world as we know it now. ‘Fight for the things you care about,’ she said, ‘but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.’ Yes. Yes. Thank you, RBG, for teaching us another way to fight.” (web)