This one is for The 1619 Project.
I was asked to contribute a poem and found
that this voice speaking out to me, wanting to speak,
the speaker is one of the four young girls who
were at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama
the day that it was bombed.
"Youth Sunday."
This morning's already good.
Summer's cooling, Addie chattering like a magpie.
But today we are leading the congregation.
Ain't that a fine thing?
All in white, like angels, they'll
be sighing when we appear at the pulpit and proclaim,
open your hymnals.
Addie, what's the page number, again?
Never mind, it'll be posted, I think, I hope.
Hold still, Carole, or else the sash will never sit right.
There.
Now you do mine.
Almost 11:00.
I'm ready.
My, don't we look--
what's that word the Reverend used in last Sunday's sermon?
Oh, I got it.
Ethereal."