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17 June: "Praise Song" by Lucille Clifton

to my aunt blanche 
who rolled from grass to driveway
into the street one sunday morning.
i was ten.             i had never seen
a human woman hurl her basketball
of a body into the traffic of the world.
Praise to the drivers who stopped in time.
Praise to the faith with which she rose
after some moments then slowly walked
sighing back to her family.
Praise to the arms which understood
little or nothing of what it meant
but welcomed her in without judgment,
accepting it all like children might,
like God.

1 comment:

  1. Why is Aunt Blanche capitalized?

    Does she have a mental illness? Probably not, drunk or drugs. Whatever it is, the children don't know that she should be judged. Is that the forgiveness Jesus taught?

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