An Everyday God

I.

It has been said that God rides the #98
daily, in a knit pumpkin shawl (when the weather
is cool) from Her job at The Beautiful, where for the past
thirty-one years She's served Atlanta's finest fried
okra, red velvet cake, & the best sweet potato soufflé
ever put on a plate

that every Wednesday She creates
buttery peach pastries for the driver to hand
out on his route as each rider gets off & that once
upon a time (with just the smile
of Her eyes) She saved
a crazed vanishing girl, screaming above the rush
hour cars, from leaping off
the Lee Street Bridge.

II.

It has also been said that God works the door
on Flyy Fridays at the Yin Yang Café & His Afro
is perfect (though we’ve never seen Him pick it),
dancing the boogie in His gold & green dashiki
when the DJ plays “As” by Stevie Wonder, “Shining Star”
by Earth, Wind & Fire (or any cut by Chic)

that He performs impossible miracles like Love
& Friendship, Truth & Forgiving, everyday
with a wife & daughter (without mountains
crumbling or a sea parting.)


III.

But it has also been said that God lives
at the 3rd St. Temple of the Sanctified Holy Faith

But between the Mothers in their new hats
trying to outshout each other; & the whispers
about the new fur Pastor's wife is wearing; & the "secret"
thing between the first tenor and the choir
director - (between all of this)
I had the hardest time finding God

there