All Things Beautiful - Matana Roberts

Friday, God forgive me and help me get myself straight

Those sounds, between moments of silence I could see bright light

And the movement of some kind of ritual

They were all wearing those strange hoods over their heads again

I could smell the smell of those embers as strong as I stand here today

Flaming, shining bright

I’ve never been so frightened before since mama told me to hide

Those voices of those loud men getting ever more ferocious it seemed

And some time later, mama dashed in and told me to run

To run towards our heavenly place

That was code for our favorite giant poplar tree, not far from where

Emma Jean’s white play cousin would call the wicked side of town

It was so big and majestic

Mama used to say it could touch the stars beyond even the devilish of moons

So I ran and I ran and I ran and I ran and I ran till I, till I couldn’t run no

more

I am a child of the wind, even daddy said so

We used to race and I would always win

And he’d say «Run baby run, run like the wind, that’s it, the wind»

Memory is a most unusual thing, Saturday

Well dearie, I’m just living, no excitement nor entertainment

May God’s blessings be with us through the night

All’s well that ends well, so I’ve heard

I wish I could feel myself again

I am a child of the wind, even daddy said so

We used to race and I would always win

And he’d say «Run baby run, run like the wind, that’s it, the wind»

Memory is a most unusual thing