praise be

the closest i've felt to god is

a black woman's voice.

the absolute

spirituality of sound

erecting holy monuments

from her charcoal lungs.

power unequivocal

entire kingdoms set to

crumble before her stomping

feet and howling songs.

the sky itself rises to fit her voice.

it rises for the fires licking up her throat

it rises for the generations she holds

buried beneath her mahogany skin.

she makes me believe there is

something holy about this world.

she screams hallelujah

with the power of creation and while

i can't believe in it like her,

i still worship the sound

as if she shaped the crown of god.