Untitled Poem by Cathe Jefferson

I am a straw, a reed blowing,
Tumbling, laughing, dancing,
Stumbling joyously. The song
Of your strength humanly
Graceful whistles through the
Joyous tenderness that takes
Imperiously without giving,
That gives imperiously,
Graciously all of me back
To me, all of me that could ever
Matter much to either you or me. If those angry, roaring rivers
Of bigotry and stupidity, jealous
That I wedded even their banal
Songs with the beautiful, laughing
Winds, send their floods into the
Earth to wash away my angry child's
Heart, will you hide these tears
I hide forever from even the
Shield of you and your dark anger?