*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How it challenged outdated systems & let go of antiquated beliefs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.