Poems in this category assert active opposition in the face of struggle. These poems not only express resistance to violent forces, but affirm survival on their own terms.
HOW TO NAVIGATE
- Clicking on the title takes you to a page with the text of the poem (pdf).
- Clicking on the title with a speaker icon
takes you to an audio recording of the poem (mp3).
*For each author, we have done our best to include a bio with the information available to us. In instances where archival and public-facing information is unavailable, the bio is left blank. If you have insights to biographic information, please send us an email: info@freedomarchives.org.
Title of Poem | Author |
Christmas in D.C. Jail From the collection, “Conspiracy of Voices: Poetry, Writings, and Art by The Women of the Resistance Conspiracy Case” (1990). | Laura Whitehorn American human rights activist and former political prisoner who organized with the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee. |
| I Declare Featured within the Spring 1978 edition of “Breakthrough: Political Journal of Prairie Fire Organizing Committee.” | Mahmoud Darwish Palestinian poet, artist, and activist known as Palestine’s National Poet and the author of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence (1941–2008). |
 When You Count the Fallen Recorded on the program “Poetry and Rap for Black August” produced by Kiilu Nyasha of KPFA (exact date unknown, ’90’s.) | Daughters of Yam Performance poetry duo composed of Opal Palmer Adisa and devorah major active since 1984. Their poetry centers the cultural, social, and political realities of “being of African descent, women, mothers, lovers, and human beings in today’s world.” |
From a live recording produced by Nina Serrano with Comunicación Aztlan Collective of KPFA (1973). | Ruben Roybal |
From a live recorded event, “Poets Against War” produced by Chuy Varela (1991). | Francisco Xavier Alarcón American Chicano poet and educator with deep roots in California, whose works of literature, collections of poems, and children’s books featured themes of Mesoamerican history, Latino identity, American culture, and mythology (1954—2016). |
From the collection “Wild Poppies: A Poetry Jam Across Prison Walls” (1996). | Mitsuye Yamada Japanese American poet, essayist, feminist and human rights activist, Professor of Asian American Studies at UC Irvine, and a colleague of Marilyn Buck. |
Reflection:
What expressions of resistance felt most compelling? How did assertions of individual agency and acts of defiance play toward a notion of collective or communal defiance?
Invitation:
Write a poem using the following structure: When (X) happens, I will (verb). What do you stand in opposition to? What do you stand for? Who are your allies, who are your antagonists?
