Let the Creative Resistance Begin
‘641’
Laura Bruno Lilly and Kevin McKinney (Doc Snow)
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Poem for '641'
spoken word by Laura Bruno Lilly
©2025
I am woman.
I have a uterus.
Feminism is in my DNA.
Family is my tribe.
I was once an at-risk pregnant person.
I received accessible, science-based, person-centered care during those vulnerable years.
Years of mourning 6 miscarried spontaneous abortions.
Years of nurturing 3 live births: 2 biologically female, 1 biologically male.
Each breastfed.
Each given loving affirming care throughout their lives.
I am now an elderly woman in leadership in a male dominated world.
Hear. Me. Roar.
Note: words in bold italics indicate words taken from the federally banned words & phrases list
Wow, banned words…that’s censorship on a different level! 😳 But what a powerful and moving poem, Laura! Love the passion in your voice. Kudos to you. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I know – in America, ‘the land of the free’. Yet one more nail in the coffin. Thank you for taking time time to give ‘641’ a listen, Khaya.
Love the poem. Love the music. Love the message.
How ridiculous to ban all of these words. If only they had the technology to screen the words that we think too. In secret. But well done on courageously using them in public. The time will come when all of this is overturned and a measure of sanity returned.
I’ve been keenly awaiting your comment/take on ‘641’. Thank you, Master Poet and Manc bud, Andy.
Powerful poem. Banning books and removing words doesn’t make sense.
“…doesn’t make sense.” ***And has no place in a democracy.***
Thank you for stopping by and giving our FoF collaborative project a listen, Edward.
You’re absolutely right, and it was my pleasure.
The federally banned words are shocking that they are banned. Awesome how you incorporated them in your spoken word poem. Great to hear your voice and speaking your resistance to our freedom being stolen.
I had other directions for my spoken word poem to go using the plethera of banned words to compose it, but this one asserted herself and I could not squash her ‘roar’ 😉
And the music was cathartic – Kevin & I collaborated on the same wavelength on this one!
That is so awesome!
Wow! This was moving and terrifying at the same time. The music so ominous and even threatening, creating sense of anxiety. The poem so relatable and yet terrifying also, given that all those banned words apply to US, censures us, erases us. I am so impressed. This is so important. Kudos to you and all those who worked on this project.
Thank you, Deborah. The creative resistance continues, but at least we lifted up our voices loud & clear over the FoF weekend.
Brava, Laura, Brava! Such a powerful and poignant poem. I didn’t know, but am not surprised, that there is a list of banned words in the United States of America. What the f*ck (bold)?
Mille grazie, Natalie…
Brava, Ma, and bravo, Doc Snow! Chilling, powerful, and musically + artistically wonderful. Proud of my hippie-activist-feminist-artist mother 🙂
❤️
Love this description of your mother 🙂
Me, too!
We don’t need to ban books or forbid words. We need freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Teachers should be well-trained enough and know their students well enough to design curriculum that fits the interests and needs of students. Univerisities do not need to be censored. They are supposed to be places of research and learning, not indoctrination. History does not need to be revised or covered up!
Kudos to you for writting the forbidden words! Maybe we should provide some government officials with a fib jar to put a marble in every time they tell a lie. If only we could forbid lies!
Never stop roaring, Laura! 💐
Amen, sister – preach it! 😍
Fabulous, Laura! I am completely flabbergasted at the number of banned words. Imagine being scared of words. This post and your last one which, for some reason I wasn’t able to comment on, reminded me of a short but mighty book I read recently: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. If you get a moment between your creative pursuits, I recommend it.
I will look for this book at our library – I’m always up for a book rec from a blogger bud! Yeah, imagine being scared of words and ideas and actually having to deal with life as a result of all the doors they open up in one’s mind. Thanks for the solidarity – from coast to coast. 😉
Here, here!!! Well done.
Thanks, JT!
I read your poem a few hours ago and have been thinking about it since.
As a poem it is well-wrought.
As a message it is a powerhouse.
I was moved by the story of loss and love and nurture, told so that it rings clear and true.
I was shocked rigid and to my core at the words in bold (banned).
Thank you dear Mariss for taking the time to consider your impressions on my poem and writing them out for me. Feedback? Certainly. Affirmation? Absolutely! ❤️
Time and time again, I shake my head at the words that are deemed “offensive.” What is offensive is the state of our government right now. Through the efforts of many, the cracks are starting to show. It’s not a time to let up. Thank you, Laura and Doc, for your efforts to preserve freedom.
Spot-on, Pete. And as an educator (it never ennds, right?) you know we are on the front lines of keeping the fires of learning alive in the minds of those we teach and reach.
Very creative!
I didn’t know there was a banned words list. 😞 What have we come to???
Thank you, L.Marie. You as a writer/author are acutely aware of the implications of word/book censorship. As per your latest post: Take this as a confirmation to resume work on your YA series…literacy is key in developing critical thinking skills. Plus it’s always good to have fine (and fun) books to read in steady supply. I’m including the link to your post because I feel it supports & applies to the FoF mission!
https://lmarie7b.wordpress.com/2025/11/21/if-i-write-it-will-they-come/