Poem: “Forgive” by Maya Angelou

Take me, Virginia, 

bind me close 

with Jamestown memories 

of camptown races and 

ships pregnant 

with certain cargo 

and Richmond riding high on greed 

and low on tedious tides 

of guilt.

But take me on, Virginia, 

loose your turban of flowers 

that peach petals and 

dogwood bloom may 

form epaulettes of white 

tenderness on my shoulders 

and round my head ringlets 

of forgiveness, poignant 

as rolled eyes, sad as summer 

parasols in a hurricane.