“Teaching Speech,” a Poem by Laura Kolbe

The poem Teaching Speech by Laura Kolbe is part of her collection The Decadent Movement, published in 2026 by the University of Pittsburgh Press.

The poem explores the act of naming and affirming life, particularly through the lens of motherhood and the natural world.

It describes a mother repeatedly saying yes to her child, framing it as a communal and almost protest-like act.

The poem also touches on the idea of categorizing and identifying elements of nature, such as naming the fence around a tree or observing the moon.

The language is lyrical and introspective, blending personal and universal themes.

Kolbe, a physician and medical ethicist, incorporates metaphors related to nurturing and sustenance, comparing motherhood to the act of cutting peat for fuel, symbolizing a timeless and cyclical process.