I wander

Abandoned church, Oregon.

I wander.

In my thinking.

Studying.

Watching.

Reading.

Breaking.

Praying.

I wander.

In my travels.

Down hidden alleyways,

dark city streets,

sunny walkways,

ocean beaches.

Through foreign cities

and familiar ones.

On foot.

By bus or train.

Not often enough by plane.

In my car.

I wander.

In my 'white' skin.

Female.

Christian.

American.

Alone.

Often.

I wander

and yet

Former slave fortress, Elmina Castle, Elmina, Ghana.

Not ever once

attacked

threatened

scorned

robbed

shot at

hurt.

Not once.

I wander.

Freely it might seem.

But carrying with me

the burden

responsibility

of my brothers & sisters

who cannot say the same.

Cannot wander free

live

be 

free.

I wander on

attempting insufficient

aching solidarity

Bound entirely

to my fellow humanity

suffering unjustly

daily

lamentably

separately

Memorial to the slaves at the Whitney Plantation, Georgia.

than me

I wander on

heavy-hearted

broken

raging angrily

that I am not,

We are not free,

not yet

not one free

you or me

until all of us are we.