1. Poetry

2. “For My Sister Molly Who in the Fifties”
By Alice Walker
Once made a fairy rooster from
Mashed potatoes
Whose eyes I forgot
But green onions were his tail
And his two legs were carrot sticks
A tomato slice his crown.
Who came home on vacation
When the sun was hot
and cooked
and cleaned
And minded least of all
The children’s questions
A million or more
Pouring in on her
Who had been to school
And knew (and told us too) that certain
Words were no longer good
And taught me not to say us for we
No matter what “Sonny said” up the
road.

3. For my sister Molly who in the fifties.
Knew Hamlet well and read into the night
And coached me in my songs of Africa
A continent I never knew
But learned to love
Because “they” she said could carry
A tune
And spoke in accents never heard
In Eatonton.
Who read from Prose and Poetry
And loved to read “Sam McGee from Tennessee”
On nights the fire was burning low
And Christmas wrapped in angel hair
And I for one prayed for snow.

4. Who in the fifties
Knew all the written things that made
Us laugh and stories by
The hour. Waking up the story buds
Like fruit. Who walked among the flowers
And brought them inside the house
And smelled as good as they
And looked as bright.
Who made dresses, braided
Hair. Moved chairs about
Hung things from walls
Ordered baths
Frowned on wasp bites
And seemed to know the endings
Of all the tales
I had forgot.

5. “For My Grandmother Nana Who in the Eighties” Once painted pictures of lands far away Whose names I forgot Where stars drift beside me And the moon whispers far above Where flowers and trees Know my name Who visited me when the sun hides And the leaves fall to the earth And sleigh bells ring With her she brought chocolate pie And never neglected my questions of why and how Who told me the secret of tying shoes

6. For my grandmother Nanna who in the Eighties Made my first stocking to hang for Santa Who sewed with love corduroy jumpers and dresses Created her own secret pimento cheese And always cut off the bread crusts Who challenged me to card games And coloring contests And loved to read Dr. Suess On nights when the monsters of winds and rain Shouted against my window

7. Who in the Eighties Knew all the blessings of life That brought laughter to her and me Waking the fairies as we walked through jungles Who smiled on scraped knees Cleaned Cooked Placed my pictures on the refrigerator with her favorite magnets And seemed to know the way to Magic That I forgot

8. “Knoxville, Tennesse”
By Nikki Giovanni
I always like summer
best
you can eat fresh corn
from daddy’s garden
and okra
and greens
and cabbage
and lots of
barbecue
and buttermilk
and homemade ice-cream

9. at the church picnic
and listen to
gospel music
outside
at the church
homecoming
and go to the mountains with
your grandmother
and go barefooted
and be warm
all the time
not only when you go to bed
and sleep

10. I always like eating those round, small Pizza Hut pies
I always like eating those round, small Pizza Hut pies. I like the grease; The cooking oil at the bottom of the box. When you open the box, the steam comes out at you, pulling you in. When you sink your teeth in it, you feel like you’re in heaven. - Alex Alves

11. I always like the ways my roller skates rumble on the bumpy sidewalk, Rolling up and down the big, busy street, Breeze blowing in my face Little rocks and dust blow In my face, making me sightless. Still, I always like the way My roller skates rumble on the bumpy sidewalk. -Mecola Hunte