Curiosity Cabinet
Electronic ephemera
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Muriel Rekeyser was born to a Jewish family in New York, New York in 1913 and became a poet and avid social activist. Her earlier work demonstrates intricate rhyme scheme and regular meter, qualities that indicate her influence by W.H. Auden on her earlier works. She is best known for her poetic works on equality, feminism, social justice, and Judaism, and her 1968 poetic manifesto “No more masks! No more mythologies!” She was very much involved in the anti-war and feminist movements of the 1960s and 70s, along with rights for the disadvantaged. Her interests also included science and this can be seen in some of her poetic works. She died in 1980 of a stroke with diabetes as a contributing factor. Click here for most poems by Muriel Rekeyser.
We set great wreaths of brightness on the graves of the passionatewho required tribute of hot July flowers—for you, O brittle-hearted, we bring offeringremembering how your wrists were thin and your delicate bonesnot yet braced for conquering.The sharp cries of ghost-boys are keen above the meadows,and little girls continue graceful and wondering.Flickering evening on the lakes recalls those youngheirs whose developing years have sunk to earth,their strength not tested, their praise unsung.Weave grasses for their childhood—who will never seelove or disaster or take sides against decaybalancing the choices of maturity.Silent and coffined in silence while we passloud in defiance of death, the helpless lie-October 1935
