I Rhyme

Always taking comfort in the fact

that Maya Angelou liked to rhyme

In and out of time

That John Keats fell in love too easily

We all lived on the same block 

James Baldwin's nose tucked in his newspaper 

While the radio crooned Marvin Gaye

Across the street, Toni watered her marigolds 

Alice took a short stroll

A young Nikki saved a spider 

caught on the path

And Zora, bless her, 

ran in the middle of the road.

Gcina carried her wares on her head

and did not leave until every last one sold.

After dark, we will all gather on a table

That wraps around the block

Share stories of the day and pass the salt

Potatoes and greens

We will pour the sweet tea

And sink our teeth into every morsel.