Everything

Hello Everything,

How are you?

I don’t understand you.

I don’t know what you do.

I thought I knew Something.

I thought Something was cool.

I found out I knew Nothing.

Does that make me a fool?

Everything, you know it all.

Who’s standing now

And who will fall.

You know the ends

You know the outs

What are the whys

Then “whens” and “abouts”

I must say:

I’m glad there’s you

Who knows it ALL

And what to do!

Hello Everything!

Glad to meet YOU!

I wrote this poem this morning as I thought about George Floyd. I thought about his life. I thought about what it’s like in Houston. In the summertime, it’s so hot you can HEAR the air. I thought about working in Houston. Paydays in Houston. School days in Houston. When George Floyd crossed over was his Mom there?

There are so many details that make a life time. There is so much we just don’t know…I do know that George’s Mother loved her son and he loved her. When he faced Death itself, without dignity, without respect – he called on the person he loved the most in this life, his Mother. George Floyd had a heart didn’t he? He was polite, honest and gentle wasn’t he? Under the threat of death, in the grips of fear, and under the weight of THREE police officers, George Floyd was GALLANT – wasn’t he?

How many gracious, kind, Black Americans there are in this country. Despite being oppressed their entire lives they are total grace under fire. I believe that Black Americans really are passing through this world. Black Americans not like myself. I can tell you everything.

I have been in situations of being suffocated. I have been in situations being beaten by ironing cords. I have been threatened. I have been raped. I have been menaced.

I am NOT grace under fire. I become something else. I have lost myself in my interior blaze to kill what’s trying to kill me. No weapons. Just utter survival at all inhumane costs. It’s an ugly thing. It’s a murderous spirit. Where did it come from? I don’t know because I don’t know EVERYTHING.