One river gives
Its journey to the next.

We give because someone gave to us.
We give because nobody gave to us.

We give because giving has changed us.
We give because giving could have changed us.

We have been better for it,
We have been wounded by it-

Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,
Big, though small, diamond in wood-nails.

Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,
But we read this book, anyway, over and again:

Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,
Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.
Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you
What I had to give-together, we made

Something greater from the difference.



About this poem
"This is a poem of thanks to those who live lives of service, which, I think, includes all of us-from the large measure to the smallest gesture, from caregiving to volunteerism to being an audience member or a reader. I've been able to offer these words to many groups, not only as a poem, but also as a recognition. We give for so many reasons and are bettered by it."
- Alberto Rios

About Alberto Rios
Alberto Rios is a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and the author of "The Dangerous Shirt" (Copper Canyon Press, 2009). He teaches at Arizona State University and lives in Chandler, Ariz.


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The Academy of American Poets is a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, whose aim is to make poetry available to a wider audience. Email The Academy at poem-a-day[at]poets.org.


(c) 2014 Alberto Rios. Originally published by the Academy of American Poets, www.poets.org. Distributed by King Features Syndicate