Writings Archives - Muriel Rukeyser

Rukeyser Trailblazer Jan Freeman

Jan Freeman, a vigorous advocate of Rukeyser's work and vision, is a woman who values and brings into focus other women’s work. She founded Paris Press in 1995 for the express purpose of publishing literature by women that had been overlooked and undervalued over the years. Paris Press, which closed in 2018 and is now housed at Wesleyan University Press, published works by writers such as Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Ruth Stone, Zdena Berger, and most notably, Muriel Rukeyser. Freeman loved Rukeyser from the time she was in college. Muriel Rukeyser is the reason Freeman started Paris Press in the [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2026-09-04T16:10:09+00:00September 4, 2026|Scholarship, Writings|0 Comments

Rukeyser Trailblazer Kate Daniels

When less than a decade after Muriel Rukeyser’s death all of her poetry was out of print, Kate Daniels took it upon herself to bring Rukeyser back into circulation with her aptly entitled collection, Rukeyser: Out of Silence, published in 1992. What attracted Daniels to Rukeyser was her fierce individuality and unapologetically noncanonical poetry, forgoing formal purity in favor of social engagement and emotional truth. A poet herself, Daniels was intrigued by Rukeyser’s many refusals–her “persistent refusal to do what was expected of her as a woman” (74); her refusal to write to the fashion or political tides; her refusal [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2026-09-04T16:11:03+00:00September 4, 2026|Scholarship, Writings|0 Comments

In a War on All Fronts

In a War on All Fronts (1943) Sickness is general in our time. Wounds we newly understand Fall on us, rise up from the ground. The fevers of confusion’s kiss Leap to confusion in the land And flame through our divided minds. Let me not die of this. Let me come through and live again To fight the war the world must win. The hurt child in the fascist street, The rain of clubs on Negro heads Demand more blood, cry for defeat. Cry for a day after defeat: Day of the world’s discovery For which we face an age [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2026-06-12T16:10:26+00:00June 12, 2026|Writings|0 Comments

It Is There

Muriel Rukeyser, from Breaking Open (1973) Yes, it is there, the city full of music, Flute music, sounds of children, voices of poets, The unknown bird in his long call. The bells of peace. Essential peace, it sounds across the water In the long parks where the lovers are walking. Along the lake with its island and pagoda, And a boy learning to fish. His father threads the line. Essential peace, it sounds and it stills. Cockcrow. It is there, the human place. On what does it depend, this music, the children’s games? A long tradition of rest? Meditation? What [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2023-09-04T18:43:57+00:00September 4, 2023|Poetry, Writings|0 Comments

Wherever

Muriel Rukeyser, from Breaking Open 1973 Wherever we walk we will make Wherever we protest we will go planting Make poems seed grass feed a child growing build a house Whatever we stand against We will stand feeding and seeding Wherever I walk I will make

Elisabeth Daumer2023-09-04T17:03:27+00:00September 9, 2022|Poetry, Writings|0 Comments

It Is There

First published in Breaking Open (1973) Yes, it is there, the city full of music, Flute music, sounds of children, voices of poets, The unknown bird in his long call. The bells of peace. Essential peace, it sounds across the water in the long parks where the lovers are walking, Along the lake with its island and pagoda, And a boy learning to fish. His father threads the line. Essential peace, it sounds and it stills. Cockcrow. It is there, the human place. On what does it depend, this music, the children's games? A long tradition of rest? Meditation? What [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2022-08-15T12:26:28+00:00August 15, 2022|Poetry, Writings|0 Comments

Ecstacy of a Woman Detective

Published in Houdini (2002) I love using what I’ve got Love not being what I’m not— After a long time of one kind of living, And it was all right, it was really partly good, Full of one-sided things, And disturbing . . . and absorbing . . . almost Every day . . . But Then the new life came along, bringing The joy of reaching, of stretching, of being Effective— This is another place, this is another way, The ecstasy of a woman detective— And what I detect, what I really find Is your body-and-mind and your life and my [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2023-09-04T17:18:07+00:00February 7, 2022|Poetry, Writings|0 Comments

Yes

Published in Houdini (2002) It’s like a Tap-Dance Or a new pink Dress, A shit-naive Feeling Saying Yes. Some say Good morning Some say God bless – Some say Possibly Some say Yes. Some say Never Some say Unless It’s stupid and lovely To rush into Yes. What can it mean? It’s just like Life, One thing to You One thing to your Wife. Some go Local Some go Express Some can’t wait To answer Yes. Some complain Of strain and Stress The answer may be No for Yes. Some like Failure Some like Success Some like Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. [...]

Elisabeth Daumer2022-02-04T16:34:34+00:00February 4, 2022|Poetry, Writings|0 Comments

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Muriel Rukeyser

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