an open door

I woke up this morning still smelling The Forum. Maybe I got some of the dust in my hair when I climbed up to the attic yesterday…it reminded me of the plantations I toured when I was living in Louisiana. Old wood smells like the earth and the unvarnished boards are soft beneath your feet. There were so many traces inside The Forum—layers of paint falling away to reveal other colors, beautifully molded electrical fixtures dangling from old wires. Everyone on the tour signed a waiver but I felt totally safe and it really was a magical experience! After visiting the attic, I changed my outline for Book #5…Jaxon definitely needs to spend a little time up there. The folks at Urban Juncture have just been amazing; I sent them my books and congratulated them on their grant and in return, they offered me access to The Forum and arranged for a crew to film me as I wandered around in awe. Once the tour ended and the other guests left, Asia (the director) had me stand by a window and answer a lot of questions about how the building sparked my imagination: “Close your eyes, listen for a moment, and tell me what you hear.” It’s what you feel, really, in a place that for decades offered sanctuary and opportunities for Black joy. After the interview, I went up onstage and read from THE WITCH’S APPRENTICE—that’s the same stage Nat King Cole performed on as a teen! There’s a painted mural on the back wall and we were puzzling over one S-shaped object—I finally realized it was a heron! Stalking fish in the lagoon behind the Museum of Science and Industry. So many mysteries to solve, so many stories waiting to be told. I had a moment yesterday where I wondered if I’d made a mistake moving to Hyde Park. I did look at some places in Bronzeville but friends thought it would be hard for me to get around there without a car. I’m still close and I’m still in love with my neighborhood but I think I’m going to be spending a lot more time in Bronzeville. It already feels like home and it matters that a community org there opened its doors and made me feel welcome. I posted this haiku for Day 24 of National Poetry Month. I wrote more than a poem a day last week but feel my sponge drying out…have written a lot of angry poems this month but will stop by the Garden of the Phoenix to see the cherry blossoms today and maybe that will inspire a different tone.

   cities keep secrets

each brick holds a memory

buildings testify