RIP Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou lost her brother when he was in his twenties.  Even though we may not have lost our siblings, so young, I think we all can relate to trying to replace them with "forcing strangers into brother molds."  Maya died, May 28, 2014.  She and Bailey can now walk silently in eternal woods together.  Requiescant in pace.

Kin

BY MAYA ANGELOU

FOR BAILEY

We were entwined in red rings   

Of blood and loneliness before   

The first snows fell

Before muddy rivers seeded clouds   

Above a virgin forest, and   

Men ran naked, blue and black   

Skinned into the warm embraces   

Of Sheba, Eve and Lilith.

I was your sister.

You left me to force strangers   

Into brother molds, exacting   

Taxations they never

Owed or could ever pay.

You fought to die, thinking   

In destruction lies the seed   

Of birth. You may be right.

I will remember silent walks in   

Southern woods and long talks   

In low voices

Shielding meaning from the big ears   

Of overcurious adults.

You may be right.   

Your slow return from

Regions of terror and bloody

Screams, races my heart.

I hear again the laughter   

Of children and see fireflies   

Bursting tiny explosions in   

An Arkansas twilight.

I know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou’s autobiographical book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, came to mind when I walked into church, tonight.  I didn’t smell incense and candle wax.  I smelled paint.  And I saw that we parishioners were in a cage.

You see, St. Mary’s is painting the interior dome of the church.  There’s painting scaffolding caging the sanctuary.  I felt like I was in a cage.  And the Preface for today, the Baptism of Jesus, read:

And so, with the Powers of heaven,
we worship you constantly on earth,
and before your majesty
without end we acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.

Yes, we sang the praises of the Lord.   See it’s glory to God, that gave voice to the caged bird.  Hosanna in excelsis!