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Reclaiming The Word “Elder.”


May 23, 2022
I wrote this in response to the occasional feedback wondering why MEA has “Elder” in its name even though the word can be triggering.

Let’s liberate the “elder” from the “ly,”
Juxtapose it with some mo-dern-i-ty.
A modern elder is curious and wise,
And she’s also a rebel, full of surprise.

Yankee, black, redneck, and queer,
All slurs meant as arrows to strike fear.
Yet victims turned the tables on this word game,
“Owning” the word in a proud form of reclaim.

Is it time for the word “elder” to evolve?
The concept of “reverence” meant to dissolve.
A modern elder’s “relevance” is what we admire,
The last thing on their mind is a desire to retire.

Millennials love your hipster sense of humor,
Your humility is the flip of “OK, Boomer!”
Modern elder, we know your soul has a hunger
For sharing and gaining wisdom from those who are younger.

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