To Go Naked As A Sign

Content warning: American violence

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThe Quakers walking up your early church aisles

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThe Quakers hanging from the trees for their protest

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedknew the project of America

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published distortions of freedom:

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published the pillory, the stocks, the strap

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published the ploughshares bent into weapons

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published the pitchfork through a neighbor’s belly

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedand the guns

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published the arsenals of guns

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published covered wagons with guns

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published like porcupine quills

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedHow this is America—

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published built on the stolen wealth of other nations

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published after displacing Native nations

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThe Quakers were right

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThe Quakers swinging from New England trees

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published their fingernails bloody with protest

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThe Quakers were right

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published and I wake up, stripped

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published in my bed

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published with the noise of this week’s shooting

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published drumming in my ears

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedlike the Puritans drummed to drown the Quakers' voices

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedbefore the Quakers hung from the trees

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published I am not yet recovered

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published from last week’s shootings in Georgia

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published I am at the mall with my child and my sister as a Neo-Confederate walks up to a mall in Texas

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedguns down children and their parents

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published as elsewhere Republican senators rise from their warm baths

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published and pin AR-15s to their chests

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedand I want the children of these Republican senators to know

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published their parents’ hands are red

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published with America’s blood

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published because children understand

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedThat America is a violent coin

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedwith no provision for survivors

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedTime to go naked as a sign

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedas the Quakers did

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published protesting

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published and giving evidence

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedof spiritual nakedness in America

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedWalking into the meeting house

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published where the elders sit

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published and dropping our clothes

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedSo that a great dread falls upon all hearts

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedBecause America, you are dead

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedand we need you to live

I hope you take time to process and grieve and rest this week. I hope you speak and work as you are able. I know we are all deeply angry and sad—but we are not powerless. Speaking is power. Writing is power. Using your gifts for good—this is power, too. -HV