in my America, I remember
forever talk of falling from grace
we defied god and plunged from innocence
or
we plummeted from nature,
knocked asunder by industry
or
we dropped from peace and social progress
into a time of unprecedented division.
it has never been so bad, some say,
i hear myself say,
watching a Black man die
under a policeman’s knee
reading the names
the numbers of those dead
by preventable pandemic.
but
in my America
we never had grace.
here, there is no grace
to go back to.
here, grace is something we
move towards
to get there
we have to walk.
to get there
we have to run.
to get there
we have to build it
ourselves.
Original artwork by the author.
Everything that Sarah Gillman touches turns to gold. She is a national treasure.
Wonderful, artistic piece. Touched my heart. Still struggling with what to do with the hate arising. Thanks, Sarah