Nov

Finding My Thunder

Naomi Blue. My grandmother. Preacher. Healer. Secret Keeper. Protector. A bulwark never changing.

This is Mama. My mother-child. I’d get home from school and….I never knew what I’d find. She found a lump one time and she told me–“don’t you tell Naomi. And don’t you tell your Daddy. He ain’t going to change so you’re going to hold it same as me.” And that’s what I did.

Our backporch. The back of our house faces Naomi’s. I run back and forth. Like my mother had. Like Naomi’s son had…when he lived.

Lonnie Grunier, the owner of the sperm swimmer that merged with Mama’s egg and made…me. But I don’t believe it.

When Mama was sick, Danny took me to the quarry. We jumped off a cliff and he held me in the water. I went to him then. I left my mother, even Naomi, in my heart I went to Danny Boyd.

When Mama was sick, Danny took me to the quarry. We jumped off a cliff and he held me in the water. I went to him then…inside. I left my mother, even Naomi, in my heart I went to Danny Boyd.

The first time Danny Boyd kissed my I was lying on the football field where he'd been king. Oh yeah. My mother just died.

The first time Danny Boyd kissed me I was lying on the football field where he’d been king. Oh yeah. My mother just died.

Danny and I went to a commune once, to find our poor dog a home. We found them in the pond, like the day God made them. Danny said, “We don’t do naked, man.” Well, that wasn’t exactly true.