Charleston, South Carolina
1.
“What does it mean to see a black church burn?”
bear’s breech, bluestar
and, furthermore, I buried my sister
hushed, white roses
&, furthermore, I buried my lover
and, anyway, he never said, “forgive”
June-yanked yarrow
barrenwort creeps
Mary, don’t you weep, oh, Mary
2.
and, furthermore, we buried our mother
bugbane, bee balm
“What does it mean to see a black church burn?”
up Calhoun Street,
up Ravenel Bridge
And who among us speaks for us all, not
me, too simple,
too soon to say
just what I feel when black churches
3.
burn, the door closing, burn, & furthermore,
black-eyed Susan
And, furthermore, we buried our father
June-snatched yarrow
hens & chickens, rosettas between rock
the hell that crept through our door of ages
Jerusalem
Sage, Lavender
Cotton, Coreopsis corners
4.
And, furthermore, I buried my grandson
Bearded Iris
What does it mean when our black blood turns? Lamb’s
Ear, Texas Sage
False Red Yucca, swat moths away, sinners
and sin. Must we always invite them in?
False Indigo
Gayfeather, Thrift
Must we always invite them in?
5.
And, furthermore, I buried my anguish
Coronation
Gold in my palms after rain, & further-
more, Violet
What does it mean when we memorize Psalms
Or “stand in the way that sinners take,” or
Umbrella Sedge
Joe-Pye Weed
Or, sparrow over sycamore
6.
Forget-me-not, Father, forget-me-not
Mother, forget
me not, Saints. For You created my in-
most being, You
knit me together in my mother’s womb
And, furthermore, I buried my husband
Bamboo, Goutweed
Evening Primrose
Mother don’t you weep, Mother, don’t
7.
moan & Plantain Lily, widen your shawl
Solomon’s Seal
before you tighten it, Come by here, Lord
Come by here, Lord
What does it mean when our suffering returns?
twofold, threefold, fourfold, ten—& if they
turn, let us shout
let us shout, Saints
What shall we shout when our suffering
8.
returns? If they can burn a cross, they can—
Lady’s Mantle
burn a church. If they can burn a church, they
can burn Coral
Bells. If they can burn Coral Bells, they can—
one bullet, two bullet, ten bullet, more
hushed white roses
Baby’s Breath, Prick-
ly Pear. I lack nothing.
9.
Blood on a church pew like Snow in Summer
Dutch Iris, Dead
Nettle, Baby’s Breath
Delphinium,
Queen Anne’s Lace. I lack
nothing. I shall not
I shall not
shovel winter
snow. No blood on pews,
nor floors, nor stairs at summer’s door.
from You Don’t Have to Go to Mars for LoveFind more by Yona Harvey at the library
Copyright © 2020 Yona Harvey
Used with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC on behalf of Four Way Books.