again
(after Siaara Freeman)
by Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah

I saw the children of the church  playing jubilee / heads all haloed by the setting sun / a band of angels at their feet / the bray of brass / lifting them closer / and closer still / to the vault of heaven / & how / could I / explain myself to you / I’m sorry / what I mean to say is / I felt the death of death / inside of me / I saw my own joy / dancing outside itself / my joy was / a bouncing foot / was a lifted knee / was a chorus of children / my joy was / a black boy / seated on / a drum kit / his fro picked / well enough / to form a mic / I swear I heard / what some call g-d /strain their neck / & speak into