☀️ The Raft Weekly (8/15/26): "Good for You"

The Raft Weekly is the Saturday “goody bag” for the online community of author Phyllis Cole-Dai. Ride the river of a creative life, buoyed by her latest writings as well as nudges for your own expressive practice, boosts of curated poetry and music, and more.

GOOD FOR YOU
Phyllis Cole-Dai
Your friends
call “fall”
the four-letter word
and as you lie
in a heap
on the sidewalk
in the dark
after your ankle
buckled on the edge
heaved up
by the roots of a tree
just trying to do its thing
and grow
you know
your friends
are right
but help
is another
word with four letters
and you trust
if you wait
it will come
in time
you’ll be caught
in the spray
of low beams
from the street
and if you prop
yourself up
on a bloodied elbow
the stranger
in the car
may see you
and stop
and ask
are you alright
anything broken
can I help you up
help get you where you want to go
and you
might be bruised
might even be broken
but what isn’t
is your faith
in the good
that somehow shows up
when it seems
the world’s run out
and look
that’s another
of them
four-letter words

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☀️ A few weeks ago, I took a hard fall after twisting my ankle on an uneven sidewalk after a concert in downtown Baltimore. I knew as I was going down that I was in trouble. Alone. Late at night. Injured. Unsure if I could get back on my feet, let alone walk. A considerable distance from my car. And a twenty-minute drive from home….

Thanks to a series of angels with invisible wings, that long evening had a happy ending. I’m now on the mend, because help flowed to me out of the darkness.

This poem is my way of expressing gratitude.

☀️ Following the muse’s nudge, write a poem (or create something else) that grows out of a moment when, on the one hand, things look bleak, but on the other, you trust that all will be well.

Well, actually, this gift isn’t just one community ode, but a collection of them. All were created over the past few weeks by these volunteer poets, using phrases and lines contributed by fellow Rafters:

Suzanne S. Austin-Hill, Valerie Campbell, Nathan Cole-Dai, Maureen Kane, Tiffany Anne Lichlyter, Daniel McKinley, Carol Meyer, Jacqueline Staples, and Swann

Many of these poets said they were total newbies at such a project. Woohoo! Thanks to them all for their spunk and playful work!

And thanks to the fifty or so Rafters who tossed a line or phrase into the poetry jar. You made these community odes possible.

Download your copy of the collection by clicking the button below. Reading it may inspire you to assemble your own community ode, which is also a cento. The compilation includes instructions for making one.

(I apologize for the capitalization error in the file title—it’s some sort of Substack glitch that I can’t fix.)

☀️ Treat yourself to the boosts below in one sitting or spread your pleasure over the week. Click on the colored links to access them.

• Poetry: “Gratitude” (Anna Kamieńska)

• Poetry: “Look for the Helpers” (James Crews)

• Vocal music: “There Is More Love Somewhere” (traditional, performed by Moira Smiley, Rhythm 'n' Roots Choir & friends).

• Vocal music: “Everybody Hurts” (Al Green). Lyrics here.

• Instrumental music: “Hello from the Edge of the Earth” (Mary Lattimore)

• For peace’s sake: I ain’t sayin’ what it is but enjoy.

☀️ SEATS LEFT! “CONVERSING WITH THE BIRDS”: A MAKESHOP SERIES. Meeting biweekly on Zoom for three months, Thursdays, 7-8:30PM ET. Dates: 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, 11/19. Limited registration. Full details here.

☀️ MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Monday, October 5: The Raft will host the official online book launch for Moudi Sbeity’s debut memoir, Habibi Means Beloved. Watch for event details soon.

☀️ EVERY NON-HOLIDAY THURSDAY: Poetry Pick-Me-Up (Zoom, 1-2PM ET, 12-1 CT, 11-12 MT, 10-11 PT). FREE! A casual poetry-sharing and discussion group. Bring a published poem that you’ve recently read to share, or come simply to listen. (Please, no original poetry.) Just hop on the Zoom at this link.

☀️ Why make a contribution to The Raft? It’s like supporting Public Broadcasting here in the US. The main perk you get in return for being either a paid subscriber or a one-time donor is the joy of helping The Raft stay on the air—um, on the water. If you appreciate my offerings, please consider helping to sustain my work.

My profound thanks to these Rafters who gave a recent contribution: Gaye Guyton, Jaylynn Huiner, Karen Kassinger, Janice Knight, Michaele Rosen, and Nancy Shebeneck.