Two poems from Layli Long Soldier’s book especially touched me, one about her daughter and the other her father. I remember feeling ashamed that it was the two most personal, and perhaps least narratively innovative ones, as if that indicated I didn’t care for either “writing” or “social change”. It was not until reading Boyer’s Undying that I was reminded that we ultimately care about things because we care. Ultimately political action and writing are done because someone wants to, not for compelled by some operating logic of disinterested justice or beauty. I was reminded of James Baldwin’s often quoted line: “I want to be an honest man and a good writer”. For a long time I’ve been thinking about what it means to be honest. Layli Long Soldier’s poems felt honest in their narration. I wonder if it has something to do with Long Soldier writing about the experiences a while after they took place, so the time makes honesty easier. In any case, I felt the honesty of intention is crucial for both effectuating social change and producing impactful writing.

My question is how to write with an audience? How does writing and calls for change reach beyond people already paying attention?