Fear Not, Zira is With Us

This midnight, the moonlight glares brightly; I wonder if she knows it’ll be the last time I pray to her in the open night sky. I found protection under her radiant beauty, she spoke to me. But this midnight, as I call out her name, she is fearfully silent. “Zira, where is your softness tonight? Zira I am fearful of tomorrow’s journey North. Pa is nowhere to be found and Ma suffers from heartache. Jessie and James are too young to endure this long journey. I will hide, or run away, should I run? Last night just before you took up space in the night sky. Pa came home drenched in moonshine damning Hoover and every woman who left their man home to find work. “I’m head of this house. I bring in the crop. I tend to the cattle. I place seed in your womb. I puts a roof over ya head. You are all ungrateful.” Ma was hovering over the fire, throwing in the last 9-cent bushel of corn. He wrapped her beautiful locs around his hand and threw her into the wash bin. “You, Jezebel! I will wash you from your sins.” I removed my eyes from peering through wooden planks and turned to Jessie and James, they were still asleep. Ma cried out and begged Pa to turn her loose. He was unable to hear her cries. “Tomorrow, while I go see Mr. Parker about my debt, you and Pearlie make preparations for the move. If he don't relieve me from my debt we ain’t gone take nothing. We just bring ourselves, Roosevelt got a plan.” I snuck out the screen door and hid under your beauty. I prayed to you as I do this night, but tonight I find no comfort. Pa is gone, ma is bedridden, and I alone. I would like to join you amongst the stars. Nothing can touch me up there, I would be safe.