Class
For
Katie Latimore
November 7, 1900 to February 2,
2010
By Glenis Redmond
The bitter: she’s gone
The sweet: she
lasted so long
Grandma schooled us
with her old school
lessons;
so old they became new
again
She walked this world
with knowing
People talking 'bout
going green,
Grandma came green.
Her ways and actions
so tall
you’d think she
invented the color.
Her children and her
children’s children
rising from the soil
she tended.
Her life not measured
in man-made increments
But by the hands of
God
Blessed to see 109
cycles,
a matriarch who saw
wars
and rumors of war
never picked up a
weapon.
Killed hate with
kindness
Till it didn’t come
'round no more.
Just took to her King
James,
never lost the spirit
testifying of Jesus
free-styling
the gospel
we did not always know
the words
but her versions
carried a healing balm
Who can be mad at a
woman?
Who stayed at the
table so long?
To feed us fruit from
her faithful hands.
Didn’t she talk to
you?
Didn't her heart
always
know your name?
For someone who did
not go to school
She schooled us. With…
hush yo mouth
chile
Listen and wait on
the Lord.
Go to the well when
thirsty
and take to your
knees when
the world has done
you wrong,
flower in any
season.
Out grow struggle.
The hardy last the
blessed do too.
Do not mistake meek
for weak.
Go with the
countenance of fire.
You were that woman
at the center of our
hearths.
Your head covered in a
kerchief
You were that woman
with a homemade
fishing rod
casting a line
figuring out how to
multiply and feed the
multitudes
You feed our hearts
with your story we
will spend
our lives, telling
yours
not just your North
Star journey
but how we watched you
like a kaleidoscope
bemused amused and on
our toes
How you believed in
three things:
Jesus, Ricky Steamboat
and As The World Turns
Or was it Guiding
Light?
You were our earth
spinning
Our Watchtower
with blue light
Who never got it
twisted
Where your blessing
comes from
You, a Canna Lily
a tall flower, among
tall flowers
a working bloom.
You sure schooled us.
You out classed the
world.
At your feet we throw
jewels
Now you are in God’s
arms catching praise,
at the gleaming gate
hearing, “Come on in
Thy Good and Faithful
Servant, job well done".
