Page 25 - Humanism 2018

C a l l T h r e e

H e r l i f e s e e m e d t o e x t i n g u i s h
A s f a s t a s s h e b r o u g h t j o y t o o t h e r s
T e a r s c a m e r e f l e x i v e l y b u t s h o c k w a s p e r v a s i v e
G r a v i t y h a d s h i f t e d a n d I c o u l d n ’ t f i n d m y f o o t i n g

S t i l l h a v e n ’ t f o u n d i t

I a m o n a h i g h -s p e e d b o a t
T h e S . S . M e d i c a l S c h o o l
J u m p i n g o f f w o u l d e n t a i l d r o w n i n g i n d o l l a r s o w e d

T h e p e n d u l u m h a d t r i p l e d
A n d I w a s s h i e l d e d b y 3 0 0 0 m i l e s
H e r d e a t h w a s j u s t w o r d s s p o k e n n o t h i n g m o r e

Call Four

Strong echoes from the upbeat choir in that tiny church pound my ears
As Southern as Southern black churches can be
Those echoes still ring clear
As if I am looking over her now lying there
In an unrelenting peace dressed in a color so majestic
Fitting for her, fitting for this queen

Sitting in the pews, one hand clenching my sister's
Another hand clenching drenched tissues
A call from Him put me at ease about this vacuum
Soothed my doubts about life’s end

C a l l N o n e

T w o d a y s l a t e r I ’ m i n f r o n t o f a n e x a m
S a c r i f i c i n g c a t h a r t i c e m o t i o n s o f g r i e f

T h e b o a t s t i l l c h u g s a l o n g t h e s c a b r o u s w a t e r s w i t h o u t p a u s e
M y f e e t s t i l l s l i p , s t i l l a d j u s t i n g t o t h i s n e w g r a v i t y
T h i s n e w p l a c e w h e r e I w i l l n e v e r a g a i n

B e a b l e t o h e a r h e r v o i c e a t t h e o t h e r e n d o f a c a l l .

HUMANISM IN THE HEALTH SCIENCES 2018 • VOL. 21 23