In Our Marrow for Comms (2022)

Introduction

Afterworkingdiligentlytocomplete Who is Really Free,acollectionofpoemstoexpressthe frustrationwhichtoreattheheartsofGonzaga’spoets,thePoets&Writerscommunityfelt compelledtoauthorasuccessorcollection.Withmanynewpoetsandsomereturningstars, In Our Marrow detailsracismfrombothamacroandmicroperspective.Inaddition, In Our Marrow containsstoriesofracismacrosstheglobeandthroughouttime,stretchingfromTulsa, Oklahoma,tothestreetsofJapan,andfromthebreachofthe White Lion onAmericanshoresin 1619,toRubyBridges’breachofthepublicschoolracialbarrierin1960.

Thetitleofthiscollection--“inourmarrow”--comesfromKadariMachen’spoem Dig Deeper, andwhileitisonlymentionedinonepoem,itisalensintowhatreallyis“inourmarrow.” There’spainandsadness,asRichardScottshowsusin Well-Oiled Machine There’sangerand frustration,shownbyGavBrysonin Shades andBobbyDingellin Inconsistency.Butthroughall thisthere’sresilience,there'stenacity,andthere’sanunrelentingfightingspiritnurturedbythose whoseektodestroyit.Eachpoemrevealsthisspiritinitsownway,someboldly,likeNoah Moodyin Inheritance,andsomesubtly,likeEricAnders in American History.

OurheartfeltthanksgotoKaiJones,‘25,whosebeautifulcoverartworkcapturesthespiritof“In OurMarrow”throughcolorandimage.Wehopeeveryworkinthiscollectionwilltellyouwhat isinourmarrow.

Dedication

Knowingsomeone’snamechangeseverything.Thatispreciselywhathappenedwhenweread Gabriel’snameonaWashingtonSeminaryfinancial ledger,datedApril22,1822.Herewasa child,aboy,anenslavedhuman,whosenameechoedangels.Tosaytheleast,knowinghisname movedus.Webegantoimaginehisface,hishands,hisfeelings.Whodidhelove?Whatmade himsmile?Whatdidhefear?Who was Gabriel?

WeknowGabrielworkedattheWashingtonSeminaryandlateratGeorgetownCollege.We knowforabriefmoment,Gabrielhadachancetopurchasehisfreedom.Wealsoknowthat momentwastakenawayathisowner’sdeathandhewassoldbytheJesuitsatGeorgetownto representativesofFranklinandArmfield,thecountry’slargestdomesticslavetradingfirm.We knowhelanguishedinaslavepeninAlexandria,Virginia,beforebeingsoldtoNewOrleanson ashipnamed United States Weknowwhenhelanded inNewOrleans,hewasvaluedat$700. Fromthere,weknownothingmoreofhim.Wehopehislifedidn’tendinterrorandsorrow.But likesomanyenslavedpeople’slives,itprobablydid.

WecannotofferGabrielanythingtomakeupforhissuffering.WashingtonSeminary,the predecessorofGonzagaCollegeHighSchool,usedhimforhislabor.Thosewithauthoritydid notusetheirauthorityforhisgood.Wewishwecouldchangethat.Butwecannot.Therefore, twohundredyearslater,mindfuloftheweaknessofthisact,wesayhisnamehere,inprint,with honor.Wededicatethisbook,thesepoems,to Gabriel.

TableofContents

DigDeeperbyKadariMachen‘22 4

IfSallyHemingswastheMotherofAmerica byJackRyan‘22 6

RestbyDr.HarryRissetto‘89 8

AMother’sSon byMylesJohnson‘23 9

ShadesbyGavBryson‘22 10

CornerStore byMarkeithHogan‘23 11

MyPerspectiveandTheirs byLonnieMcAllister‘25 12

SeventeenToo byKadariMachen‘22 13

WhenaWhiteStudentSpitsonaBlackStudent byMr JosephRoss 14

DreamstoRealitybyGavBryson‘22andJonRogers‘22 16

InconsistencybyBobbyDingell‘22 17

Well-OiledMachinebyRichardScott‘23 18

InheritancebyNoahMoody‘23 19

AmericanHistorybyEricAnders‘22 20

TodaybyJosephHammond,Jr.‘22 21

DigDeeper

Whydowestillstudythisstuff?

Andwhydoweneedawholemonth,wouldn’tonedaybeenough? Wesaywe’reopentogrowthbutarewereallywillingtodigdeeper?

Whatisblackhistory? Dowestartwithslaveryorracism?

No,DigDeeper

Blackhistoryisastoryofachievementhiddenbysuffering

Digdeeper

MansaMusa,African,thewealthiestmanever Buthewasblacksohe’llneverbeaswell-knownasRockefeller.

Digdeeper

Astoryofprosperityconcealedbehindaveilofagony Tulsa1921,BlackWallStreetburnedtotheground, Partofamasterplan, Tomakesurepeopledon’tseeblackhistoryfirsthand

Digdeeper

Asystem,sociallyconstructed Toraiseonegroupup Andleaveanotherinauglycycle,corrupted.

Digdeeper

Forcedintoghettos, Thechanceofgoodeducationwasnarrow, Adversitybuildsstrength,it'sinourmarrow.

Digdeeper

RubyBridges

Thefirsttointegrateschools, Six-yearsold, Neededguardstoprotectherforsimplytryingtobreakamold

Ifshewasstrongenoughtogothroughit,toenduretheinsultsandisolation, Surelywearestrongenoughtolearnaboutit,totalkaboutit,toseethatpartofournation.

Digdeeper

JimCrow?

Ohbutthatwas60yearsago, Yetwe’restillfightingtogetourvotingrightsprotected Andtoensureourrighttoprotestisrespected.

Blackhistorymonthisneeded, Sothatwedon’trelivethepast, Sothattheprogresswe’vemadewillfinallylast.

Ignoranceisadisease, Sowhenitcomestoblackhistory,don’tbeasleeper Ignoranceisadisease. Don’tbeafraidtodigdeeper.

IfSallyHemingswastheMotherofAmerica by Jack Ryan ‘22

ifSallyHemingswasthemotherofAmerica, menwouldnotstandaloneintheDeclaration, butjoinedbytwofreeingwords

and women whoselives toiledMonticello’sdirt casketcouldsitbehind thatsunriseinthegolden chairandtapavelvetglove atopthatbrownResolute.

ifSallyHemingswasthemotherofAmerica, that dream deferred wasanswered astheWhiteLionsailedawayand teenagersinMississippi walkedhomewithbubblegum intheirmouthsandawhistle intheirpockets.

littleboysinCleveland playedwithtoys onplaygroundsand whitemenworshiped thatcrossbeneaththeircollar withouthammeringthenails intohisbrown palms.

Rest

Novemberisathinspace Whereancestorshearus Andareheard Moreclearly

Whentheyspeak Whatdotheysay? Whatcounseloffered? Whatsolaceproffered?

Wheretheystandnow Handsareunbound Therearenobridgestocross Nocruciformlanternsburningthenightsky

Breathingiseasy Sleepingfree Kneelingisonlyforprayer

AMother’sSon

AMother’sSon,destinedtoattacktheday hefacesmanytrialsbecauseofhistonebutchoosestobreakaway MOREthanarapperoraballer,heisasonwhodreamsofaworldwherehecanlivetobetrue ,withoutthespreadingdiseaseofracism.

AMother’sSonwhocanonlydream thatpeoplearetrulytreatedequallyregardlessoftheirskin. AMother’sSonwhoprays4love. who’svoicecriesoutforchangeandbegsforabetterworld

AMother’sSonwhosedailymissionistosurvive whofearshisworthisn’tthesameasthenextmanthatbowshisheadandcloseshiseyes. AMother’ssonwhoseestheevilinhisworld butfearstheblueandredwho'ssupposedtoprotecthim. ASonwhohithiskneestopray, prayinghecanlive andnotleavehismotherforanotherday.

Shades

Ihatecolors

Everyoneseesthemdifferently someseethemthesame Ihatecolors

myfavoriteisgray itrepresentsbalance…..butit’stheoppositewhereilive ihatecolors

ourgrayisbrokenupintoshades Thelightshadeisthehigherupswhopossessthepower,therulemakers...thelifetakers thedarkeronejumpshigh,runsfast,andworkstwiceashardtogetby Ihatecolors

LateatnightIcry Ihatecolors

Letmetellyouofashadeofgraynoonethinksof Ithadaknifebutnointentionstokill WasStoppedinhistracksbyalightershade Why’dyoupullmeoversir?

Iliveinadangerousareasimplywantingtoprotectmyself Nextthingitknewitwasinthebackofavanwithbumpsandbruises MaybebecauseIthadaknife?OrWasitbecauseofthecontrastoftheshade?? There’s50shadesofgraythisisshadewasfreddie ipraytoGodthelightshadedoesn’ttakemebeforei’mready IHatecolors

CornerStore

SomewhereintheoverloadedstreetsofJapan onahumidsummerday liesacornerstore,aseven-eleven

inwalksanexotic, maybeonvacation orperhapslivesnearby buthedoesnotappearlikeatraditionalJapaneseman thecompleteopposite,unforgettably hewalkstheaislesrowbyrow theclerkglaresathim,Tensionrises maybeitwastheshadeofhisskin perhapshissheersize, thecounterfeitsmiletwisted intoanassumption. becausehelookedblack, becausehelookedAmerican totheclerk,surelythisforeignmanonlyspeaksEnglish, totheclerk,heonlyspeaksdanger

Withaforgedwelcome “Goodmorning” “HowcanIhelpyou” hiscounterfeitsmile, maybeitwasfeartalking Orperhapsinstinct “Areyoubuyinganythingorjustlooking?” disapprovalbombsthestore

WhyamI,Ablackman, onJapaneseground, targetedlikeaterrorist?

WhydoI,abilingualhumanfeel theunwelcomedambushinmymother'sland?

maybethat’sjusthowitgoes orperhapsthat’showitshouldn’t.

MyPerspectiveandTheirs

Inmymind

I’mpeacefulandwarm However, Theworldseesme

Ascoldanddangerous Justbecauseofthemelanininmyskin Theydon’tknowme Butsomehow Theyseethroughme Iwishtheworld’smind Wasn’tsoconstricted IwantpeopletoknowMe

Therealme Butwhentheyassume WhoIam Theythinkoftheabsoluteworst Notgivingmeachance Castingmeoff Likeatoddlerdoesabrokentoy

SeventeenToo

WhatwouldIgetifIshotthreeandkilledtwo?

Maybeacell,twentyyears,probablyashottotheheadforactinglikeafool.

WithanAR-15,howwouldIbemet?

Ican’tevenwalkaroundinahoodiewithoutbeingseenasathreat.

Mewalkingtoaprotestwithanassaultrifle,youcouldonlypraythatIstayalive, Yousee,whenyoulooklikeme,that’scalledsuicide. ButevenifImadeitout,surelythecourtroomwouldbemydemise.

WouldthejudgesaythepeopleIkilledweren’tvictims?

Wouldn’teveryonespeakupandcontradicthim?

I’mseventeentoobutnodoubtthey’dseemeasagrownman.

Iknowtheywouldn’tsympathizeifIdaredtocryonthestand.

IfIhadpulledthetrigger,wouldstrangerssendmemillionsformydefenseplan? Ithinkinsteadtheywouldseemyactionsasacapitaloffensetoreprimand.

Wouldcongressmenoffermeinternshipswhilestillontrial?

IfIkilledtwo,wouldIbeseenasahero,likeKyle?

Willtherebechangeorwillthesestoriescontinuetocompile?

Twostepsforwardandthenweseemtogobackwardstwohundredmiles.

WhenaWhiteStudentSpitsonaBlackStudent

Whenawhitestudentspits onablackstudent thewordsofyourdangerous languagespeakclearly:

You mean nothing. Thesuckofcheek intotonguetogather yourmouth’sfluid translatesinto:

I have no words for how you scare me so I have to fling this wet warning into your face which today looks just like the face of my own fear

Thisfluidisyourvocabulary forpanic:

I cannot stand what you mean in my mind so I can only expel my saliva on you from a tongue that seeps sickness.

Spitisadictionary where,ifwelookup hatred,weseeavideo ofyou,doingthis.

Your wet greeting does teach us, though. It tells us something we need to know about this country

you think is yours.

Italsotellsusjust whatweneedtoknow aboutyou.

DreamstoReality

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creedWe hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal - Martin Luther King, 1963

Livingthroughaworldwherethingsneverchange, Inaworldwhereavoicelikemineisneverheard, screamingandcryingforequalitybutyoucan'thearme? beggingforyourattentionlikeaninfantbutyouignoreme

Andthecrazythingis MartinLutherKing'shadadream,thatallmencouldbeequal Butdreamsaredreamsforareason aseriesofthoughtsinasleepin’mind Butwhenyouwakeup…thedreamisover… Thisdreamcanbeyourrealityifyoumakeequalityyourreligion Youhearwhati'msayingbutitgoesinoneearandouttheotherlikealecture Butlistentothesewords,theywillgrabYOURears

We often try to find the right time to speak up When is it convenient I'm tired of hearing that I'm tired of waiting The time for change is now And if you’re not willing to speak up with us Don’t try to be like us All these school values Men for Others

The Golden rule Are all said in vain We are not the school we claim to be But through work we can be the school we ought to be Andmakethisdreamareality

Inconsistency

In the words of our 45th President: Tothe“Thugs,Looters,AngryMobs,”

Frustratedwithasystemthatneglectsthem Brokenwindowsthatdon'treflectthem AsystemofLawandOrder Whichjudgesoncomplexion Ratherthancorrection

TheGoodNewstellsus abrighterdayisuponthem whereJusticewillbefeltbyallofthem andtheirflameswillonedayshineupon eachandeverytrueGem

TothosePeople: “Weloveyou, Youareveryspecial, Wedon’tknowhowyoufeel”

Well-OiledMachine

Awell-oiledmachinetosome Aninefficientstructuretoothers Theirunjustcreationshavemademostnumb Andsavedthefluctuantfutureofyetanother

Tearsofremorsefromateenmaskhisregret Yettheworldcontinuedtoassisthim Buttwodeathsandnotguiltycanonlyattest Tothefoundersandcreatorsofthissystem

InBrunswickGeorgia,ittooktwoyearsforthebestattemptatjustice Butthemachinecontinuestoperfectlyfunction Andwepointfingersinaccuratelywhentheflawedsystemconfrontsus Butweshouldplacetheblameonthestartofthesystem’sconstruction

Themachineitselfhasneverfailedandisflawless Blueprintedtoteardowncertaingroupsandupliftothers Ablueprintthatforcesustobecautious Unfortunatelyaninefficientstructurethatrelatesdirectlytocolors

Theinefficiencyisclearwhenperceivedthroughadifferenteye Thissystemworkswellforthoseitwasfoundedby AndafterIstoppedlookingatthelinesandbeganreadinginbetween Irealizedthatpeoplewholooklikemewereneversupposedtoreapthebenefitsofthismachine

Inheritance

Chainsonmybodyandfeet butnochainsonmythoughts.

Mywillistobefree notbeatormistreat.

Asmybodymaywither thiswillisindomitable.

Mymindshallnotdiminish becausechangeisonthehorizon andIsaywithgreatmerit itisyouthathasfacilitated thewillweinherit, notofthebody butofthemind.

Becausethiswillisastrength notevenslaverycouldsurvive.

AmericanHistory

thechillingbonesoftheblack bodiesslaughtered atthehandsoftheConfederates whisperfromtheabyss ofthefear iface. themeltingpalmsofmyhands bleedangst asipullover, rolldowntheportalofdoom, andsmelltheangelofanguish whosaysthewords: "Licenseandregistration.”

Today

by Joseph Hammond, Jr. ‘22

ADream. Thoughtsofapeacefulworld. AtleastthatiswhatDr.Kinghadhopesof.

Today’sworldthough, farfromit. Peopleofmyskincolorgamblewithlife, every single time, Weleavetheirhouse.

Allisgoodthough, right?

Becausewecansitwherewewantonthebus? BecauseIcaneatwhilstbeingsurroundedby peoplewhodon’twearthesameskinasme? BecauseIdon’thavetowalkanextramiletouseabathroomdesignatedtopeoplelikeme? Equality, right?

No. Whydo we, Havetosuffer?

DidKaepernicktakeaknee justsoChauvincouldputone intotheneckofGeorgeFloyd?

Didwerunforyearsjustso AhmaudArbery couldbechaseddown?

Isthiswhatequalityistoyou? Ihopenot. Thenagain,wehavebeenhopingfor years.

Gratitude

Ittakesmanyhandsforabooklikethistocometolife.WearegratefultoDr.StephenSzolosi, whoseideaofaSLAMRacismPoetryReadingtwoyearsagobegantheeffort,ofwhichthis bookisthesecondvolume.WearegratefultoDr.HarryRissettooftheReligionDepartment whosuggestedwecompilethepoemsfromthesecondSLAMRacismPoetryReadingintoa book.HealsosawKaiJonesdrawingonedayandsuggestedwehadaterrificartistinourmidst. WearealsogratefultoMr.EdDonnellanoftheSocialStudiesDepartmentforallhisworkon theSlaveryResearchProjectandformakingsureourhistoricalreferencesareaccurate.Weare gratefultoMs.ShannonBerry,whosewiseandtimelycounselhelpsallourpoets.Wearedeeply gratefultothepoetswhosewordsfillthesepages.Theyfindwordsforwhatmatters.Finally,we aregratefultoyou,reader Thankyouforpickingupthisbook,readingit,sharingit,andtaking timewiththesewords.