my dearest south,

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i am a proud southerner. a very swarthy peach.

(re)membering a south i will never forget.

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i am the great granddaughter of a Paulding County Saint Paul AME clan, where black men stand in church with their hands in their pockets stamping their feet saying “well” every time the pastor says something that resonates with their spirit. clans who sang, “you. can’t. beat. God. givinnnnnn. no matta hoooow you try” when offering plates come.

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i am the kinfolk of an Oak Street front porch sittin saturnine “close my screen doe” clan, where ol skool Bonneville’s rode up and down Bankhead Avenue and Ralph David Abernathy strips on Sunday’s for nothing more than the show of an all day saturday wash and wax. where sister-play cousins popped their tongues like they were Xhosa and could roll their eyes into infinity trancelike states.

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i am a proud southerner. a very swarthy peach.

(re)membering a south i will never forget.

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in love with you always,

shanequa