[encore] 969: Us by Zaffar Kunial

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

American Public Media

Arts, Performing Arts

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s poem is Us by Zaffar Kunial.

The Slowdown is currently taking a break. We’ll be back soon with new episodes from a new host. This week, we’re revisiting some favorites from Major Jackson’s time as host. Today’s episode was originally released on September 27 2023. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual.

In this episode, Major writes… “Since moving to the quaint village of Rochester, I come to expect visible signs of welcome everywhere. What matters in life is that space between us, formulated by philosopher Martin Buber as I-Thou. It’s a sacred space of shared existence where we feel each other’s uniqueness and feel our common humanity. Today’s attentive poem fosters a consciousness in which we view our lives as more in relation to each other, as close as two small letters.”

Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp

Transcript

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1:32.9	Hi there, it's me, Major Jackson.
1:35.9	As I transition from my role as host of The Slowdown, we're taking a look through our archive of episodes.
1:43.2	With such a deep well of poetry and reflection,
1:46.0	it's a pleasure to revisit these moments together. Here's an episode from my time on the show.
1:53.0	I'm Major Jackson, and this is the slowdown.
2:07.9	One of my favorite moments driving the roads in rural Vermont is when I pass a car or truck, and its driver lifts a set of fingers from the steering wheel.
2:24.3	It's a neighborly acknowledgment from behind a windshield. It's a greeting.
2:29.3	Not too dissimilar for my youth when someone, only vaguely known, would give a slight head nod
2:36.6	as they walk by.
	...

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