Author Archives: Devon Riley

After Alexis Pauline Gumbs, who writes beautiful reflective poems connecting to elements, ancestors, childhood, and more than human family on her website and on instagram. I find a lot of photos, deep in the front closet, that turn my stomach a bit. That tender one, me, already trying to be … I find others where IContinue reading “To be revealed”

Begin in a moment when you feel relaxed and at ease in your body. While sitting in a comfortable chair, holding the baby. While the kids are breathing in their sleep and you have given yourself permission to rest. While reading a book to an interested, relaxed child. While on a walk, watching a toddlerContinue reading “Parenting Practice 2”

Here is a practice: Observe your child enter the room Say nothing Consider yourself at your child’s age Say nothing still (If they ask you a question or request something, respond minimally, just enough – you might have to put off the practice for later – there will be many chances, believe) Feel the backContinue reading “Parenting practice”

11.26 A Day of Mourning I want to sit down and grieve Sit in the snow Feel the cold settling of  Futures cut off Back, front, inside, below The cat cowers beneath  A threat he feels, we cannot see Less confident, less relaxed He found out about the world Yet we call him crazy? WeContinue reading “A Day of Mourning”

I’ve let so much fall away.  Have you? I don’t think there will ever be an end to the grief. Which feels like a relief –  You know? I can step into the stream, anytime I need. I took an online class Maceo said  If the only thing we can do with  Agency is  Collapse, Continue reading “Grief and Grounding”

When I wrote my most recent newsletter back in June, I said that I would make a list of de-colonial, anti-racist, collective liberation resources available on my website. Then I didn’t do it. That I still didn’t do it when I finally sent the newsletter, months later, let me know that that promise had beenContinue reading “Healing the learning”