GRANDMA ASKS, “ARE YOU STILL PRAYING TO YOUR JESUS?”

My sister boards the Trailway bus to Chicago She arrives at church just in time to purge the devil in her throat and part her lips toward heaven

When Grandma asked if I wanted to be saved too I thought I speak no tongues My sister is the translator of Twi and tradition

She makes peace with my demons by word of mouth Besides silence is the oldest language

Fluent in the passage of breath Who else could trace their tonsils across a Bible taste the parables in the psalms of their hands and say nothing?

Ok maybe I wasn’t silent

But when I answered No

I meant I don’t have the strength to trill God is Good! in English and mean it

I meant Forgive me for my tongue is not strongest muscle in my body anymore

I swear that next time I’ll bite it into pieces Chew the pieces into blood And if she asks me to pray for the love of God I’ll swallow

Mother, Maiden, Crone colored pencil and acrylic paint,