How I discovered poetry in the basement of Bethel United Methodist Church in Morristown, TN


Crystal Senter-Brown


the church van smells like
Kentucky Fried Chicken, as
Mama is filling


the seats with children
from all over town. the church basement
is cold on Wednesday


nights but we still
meet there, faithfully, to learn
about poetry.


the smiling pastor
pops his head in and asks
have y’all ever heard


of Langston Hughes? and
we say: “we sho’ have!” and he
says so tell me one


of his poems. we tap
our tiny feet on the
faded and splintered


hardwood floor. well, it
seems to me he says, ya'll got
some learning to do!


and we nod,


agree.