by Amanda Johnston
for Shamika Wilson, mother of Draylon Mason
and one day the sky opens and a voice says now and after decades of church on sunday bible study on wednesday grace and faith over every meal and heads bowed you look up and scream
no
and it is done the hand that hovers eternally points its long finger and touches the body and the armor wrapped with faith wrapped with prayer wrapped in the blood now soaked in loss and grieving goes quiet so quiet you could fool yourself into thinking it is all a dream
Poem copyright 2022 by Amanda Johnston. All rights reserved.
See more poems from Amanda Johnston debuted on The Fight & The Fiddle: “It Begins,” “Two Americas,” and “How Do I Explain.”
Read more in this issue: Interview | Critical Essay | Writing Prompt