City Sanctus

Here's my poem, City Sanctus. I wrote it a few years ago for a "poetry slam" in Birmingham, and read it last night at Birmingham Museum of Art's celebration of civil rights on the occasion of Gandhi's birthday. The picture is the statue of Brother Bryan.

City Sanctus   

Sweet swinging, celestial, high-reverberating slam-dunk sounds,

new fashioned beginnings 

over old fashioned endings!

Certain things are happening.

My voice carries over the city.

At last, our voices carry!

Wheels have turned. Oh, wheel!

Face to face with turning wheels, our voices carry;

anthems changing words as we speak.

No longer bound, we speak changing anthems.

At last, our voices carry, day to night, and night to day.

Children all in white

still mornings

hearts wonder

Will another night come?

Children all in black

still nights

hearts wonder

Will another morning come?

Children all in white, I am here.

Children all in black, I am here.

Lo, I am with you always.

My voice carries over this day and this night.

My voice carries over this city and this sound.

Slam! We know that sound.

Steel ringing

Vulcan wields swinging steel

foundations singing

our voices ring!

Slam!

Birmingham!

© Ramey Channell