Can You Quilt a Life, Now Dead?

                              By Rudolph Lewis

Sharif on the night phone 

screams at convention center 

flood, at superdome . . . no toilet

paper, no diapers, no water, days . . .

Cold harsh hearing . . .

“I wish I’d died before . . . "

Believe in the Resurrection of the

Wheat, the harvest, the winnowing . . .

the heavens already in you 

Nawlins, you're greater than N’awlins 

than tribes & families

You know where you're going?

Be a 21st century African! 

Wire up the nation, N’awlins!

Wire up & be like Jah's people!

Keep on moving up! That's life! 

N’awlins you bigger than Louisiana

Exodus! keep moving, keep jamming!

Put down your roots wherever

& let a thousand flowers bloom 

N’awlins be more than a bowl! 

Look within, know where're you

coming from. N’awlins be a spirit quilt!

Remake the nation raggamuffins!

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posted 23 September 2005