Dana Levin reads "How to Hold the Heavy Weight of Now"

The video features a poem from the speaker's new book, inspired by a conversation with a friend about the heaviness of current times. The poem describes a gesture of holding an imaginary ball, symbolizing the weight of now, and its transformation into a release, symbolizing letting go and making an offering.

What gesture did the speaker make in response to the friend's request?

What metaphor is used in the poem to describe the act of letting go?