You used to say, “June? <br />Honey when you come down here you <br />supposed to stay with me. Where <br />else?” <br />Meanin home <br />against the beer the shotguns and the <br />point of view of whitemen don’ <br />never see Black anybodies without <br />some violent itch start up. <br />The ones who <br />said, “No Nigga’s Votin in This Town . . . <br />lessen it be feet first to the booth” <br />Then jailed you <br />beat you brutal <br />bloody/battered/beat <br />you blue beyond the feeling <br />of the terrible <br /> <br /> <br />And failed to stop you. <br />Only God could but He <br />wouldn’t stop <br />you <br />fortress from self- <br />pity <br /> <br /> <br />Humble as a woman anywhere <br />I remember finding you inside the laundromat <br />in Ruleville <br />lion spine relaxed/hell <br />what’s the point to courage <br />when you washin clothes? <br /> <br /> <br />But that took courage <br /> <br /> <br />just to sit there/target <br />to the killers lookin <br />for your singin face <br />perspirey through the rinse <br />and spin <br /> <br /> <br />and later <br />you stood mighty in the door on James Street <br />loud callin: <br /> <br />“BULLETS OR NO BULLETS! <br />THE FOOD IS COOKED <br />AN’ GETTIN COLD!” <br /> <br /> <br />We ate <br />A family tremulous but fortified <br />by turnips/okra/handpicked <br />like the lilies <br /> <br /> <br />filled to the very living <br />full <br />one solid gospel <br />(sanctified) <br /> <br /> <br />one gospel <br />(peace) <br /> <br /> <br />one full Black lily <br />luminescent <br />in a homemade field <br /> <br /> <br />of love<br /><br />June Jordan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/1977-poem-for-mrs-fannie-lou-hamer/
