Churchgoing Comments

Simply put. Clear. Truth-telling. Fresh. Memorable.

This poem hit a place in my heart that no other poem about church has done before. I love the images that come such as playing children and members yawning. Ms. Nelson creatively transforms the piece and connects it with days of enslavement, where the church was much more than a place to pray to Blacks. The questioning of having to believe a religion (Christianity) forced upon us as a race, yet still maintaining the belief in one God through it all in the poem is simply beautiful. I connect this poem with myself because many times these thoughts have rushed through my head while in church and I have experienced this atmosphere. The use of Petrarchan rhyme scheme 'a-b-b-a-a-b-b-a-c-d-e-c-d-e' repeats Nelson's genius in her splendid figurative language and how adept she is in educating AND captivating the reader.