Thank You for Your Guerrilla Art (Summer of 2020)
Mary Ellen Talley is a Seattleite whose poems have recently been published in literary journals including Raven Chronicles, The Plague Papers, and Banshee as well as in several anthologies. Her work has received three Pushcart nominations. A chapbook, “Postcards from the Lilac City” was published by Finishing Line Press in October, 2020.
“Your question about change got me to thinking. I was fortunate that right before Covid seclusion I was part of an intense study group at the Greenwood Senior Citizen Center and we finished our last meeting via Zoom when the Center shut down. The text we used was a text by Robin DiAngelo, “What Does It Mean to Be White.” Before then I that I had read her book “White Fragility” and Ijeoma Oluu’s book, “So You Want to Talk About Race.” Following the study group I read “How to Be an Anti-Racist” by Ibram X Kendi and “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander during Covid-19 seclusion. I didn’t march in the streets or visit CHOP due to health precautions and because of potential violence I wasn’t prepared to deal with. I consider myself an ally but don’t think I’ve risen to the level of being anti-racist.
I think all of us who lean toward progressive were shocked and appalled at the George Floyd murder. It awakened many who lean conservative to realize the micro/macro agressions and violence toward people who are Black. I hope there can be systemic change in law enforcement to help police make improvements. “The New Jim Crow” was so eye opening! I have appreciated the news articles that have increased my awareness of things like red lining in Seattle.”
By Mary Ellen Talley
Side altar
on the grass
not far from
peopled path
This early morning path around Green Lake
the only place I was getting any exercise
Large portrait
of a man
deceased and
could not breathe
Portrait hung between two tall pine trees –
with votive candle offerings below prayer
flags waving
That altar
made the park
feel like church
That altar made every breeze across the water
become a blessing for those of us afraid of crowds
Some of us
choose not to
march downtown –
let youth march
It seemed obvious – Not the noose of the knee on a neck
could ever be removed at such an altar – but for
conviction
conviction
conviction
of Chauvin