by Terry Dawson
for Georgetta Bryant,
St. James’ Episcopal Church, Austin, TX
the nation has now made plain that it
will not inaugurate and place on its
Capital steps a Black female face to take
her presidential vow to the document that
guides us as a people, but what’s worse:
the times grow frightening with half of us
now feeling shoved outside, but some of us
have been on the outside and frightened before
still, during such times, a body craves
a place inside -- somewhere inside
we need one to convey what we say at St.
James’ namely: “wherever you are on your
journey of faith, you’re welcome at this
table” we need a countenance that glows
enough to unroll that mat – one eager,
pre-Covid, to greet and kiss us full on the
mouth and find for each an inside seat, but not
till she says when oh, you’ll get in —
even with your mother lode of mortal sin,
but only when she says come in, because
you know, this is no barn or honkytonk;
you’re in God’s house and God loves us,
each and every but there’s a time and place
for entering -- a time and place to wait
down home here in this stubborn heart of Texas
so, when I die, St. Peter can take a hike
for no one else will do, when I reach my destiny –
no one else cause me to drop all hesitancy –
to let me know I’ve arrived at the right place,
not bound for perdition for heaven’s
sake, I need no one but Georgetta at the gates –
Georgetta Bryant, mind you, at the heavenly gates
and when she says take your place in glory,
I’ll go…but not before Lord, we pray
put our dear sister at that door
place Georgetta at the gates —
stern and bubbly Georgetta firmly at your
insistently wide-open gates that tolerate not
a lick of discrimination, no matter who
heads up this sovereign nation, that
we may say, upon seeing her face:
“Amen, Amen, Hallelujah, Amen!”