Poetry by Sunni Patterson
Selected by Louisiana Poet Laureate Mona Lisa Saloy

Wikimedia Commons user Infrogmation of New Orleans
De Saix Bridge over Bayou St John, New Orleans, August 18, 2020.
*19
And when they read of this moment…
They will see how we endured
And they will wonder how we made it
How we could live through such a time & still smile & create & celebrate
Even though walls of panic & loss continue to build up around us
They will shake their heads in astonishment
They will question how we survived without hugs & secondlines & community gatherings
They will drum up every conspiracy theory & most of them will be correct
They will feel the anger of the era
The frustration of the season
They will pick apart the science & discover to their surprise
There was so much more hidden
This virus was a disguise
They will tremble at the revelation
Tears will come to their eyes
For they will see the essence of being in the living & those who died
Oh, when they read…
They will see
How this time provided a shift in foundation & frequency
How it challenged outdated systems & let go of antiquated beliefs
How we were forced to grow our courage & practice care in the midst of grief
When they research about these days…
From the uprisings to the downfalls
They will unravel the knots & connect the dots
& they, too, will heed the call
With dignity & integrity
Ancestral wisdom & pride
Where creativity & imagination move head & heart to alignment
They will know…
Because they will feel
The power & presence of devotion & will
Of culture
Of spirit
Of justice
Of light
Of oneness
Of harmony
Of divinity & insight
Oh, when they read of this moment…
They will see how we endured
& they will still question how we made it
& we will say…
How could we not?
New Orleans native Sunni Patterson began her career as a full-time high school teacher, and much of her life since has been devoted to serving as a cultural worker and activist. Patterson deliberately uses art, poetry, and ancestral veneration to encourage dialogue, connectivity, spiritual awareness, and healing. Patterson is a 2020–2021 John O’Neal Cultural Arts Fellow and currently serves as a resident artist for both the City of New Orleans’s Claiborne Corridor Cultural Initiative and Junebug Productions. She is co-founder, along with scientist and atmospheric chemist Cherelle Blazer, of the environmental arts and public health organization Breath is Lyfe.