Almost Love
Almost Love
It was not the first time
a white pastor told me
my message was true
but his congregation was not ready
That he nearly lost his pulpit
after letting me speak
That he agrees with every word
but cannot keep pressing
with such urgency
That I must be gentle with hatred
that privilege is addictive
a drug to be weaned off gradually
four centuries and counting
That half his church left
after hearing good news for the poor
And what good is preaching
if there is no one in the pews
no tithes in the bucket
Surely I must understand how
a man needs to feed his family
How the sacrifice would be too great
How it pains him to even admit this
How it almost feels like a bullet to the chest
Almost feels like a noose to the neck
Almost feels like a nail to the wrist
Almost
