History in the Form of My Skin

A WALK WITH ERIC ANDERSON,

yesterday, a Monday. He puts his arm

around me, asks me about my morning.

I don't quite have Mark Taylor right.

To embrace an executed God

is to be in resistance to empire.

Reverend Eric nods. "Supply side

sodomy" is what Tex Sample calls it,

changing some language for newspapers

in Kansas City. Eric puts his arm

around Karen and I take their picture.

Clouds and fog bring out colors in faces.

Smiles through the mist. Eric fills me in.

Family. Marriage. Ordination. Bands.

Starting out in Kansas City. Supposedly

they're giving me 5 minutes

at the MLK Assembly after this.

Eric with Kansas City walking roots

gets his 5 minutes, tells us of Rev Louise Turner.

Trouble brings me here. Beginning here.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Yakima.

Reverend Eric Don Anderson remembering his people.

Time is short. Belafonte and King

talking in the apartment.

Integrating a burning house.

Belafonte's eruption, Damn, Martin! What?

Martin Luther King's words, fresh

in Eric Anderson speaking across time,

We're going to have to be firemen.

A place and time for anger.

Brave words, Eric. Your time,

still time. Time to feel the heat.

It's coming. Wednesday.

Poor People's Campaign. It's coming.

Twitter at Unite the Poor.

503 families fed every Friday morning.

Our compassionate Congressman needs

some help--getting replaced.

Eric's five minutes. Fragments and notes.

We don't know what we'll find when we walk.

We don't know what will find us, either.

Opening welfare. Well fare. Oh, Eric,

Thank you. This is our us. Just us. Time.

Jim Bodeen

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Yakima, Wa

15 January 2018