It is a thief.
What it aims to steal:
This joy.
This gathering.
This singing.
My ecstasy.
(my voice)

It can make a pleasant enough file to listen to
on noise canceling headphones, 
Perfectly tuned. Perfectly metered. Matchy Matchy.
But it can’t be in the room surrounded by strangers.
Singing.
Sharing the air, this breathe.
this screaming.
my laughter.
and clapping.
dancing.

It is time to sing the old hymns again
Oh, Come and go with me.
Oh, Come and go with me.

It can’t feel the beat saturate it’s heart
(in the body. In it’s body)
Bc it has no heart. No body.

It can’t be moved
Bc it has no tears.

It assumes I’m upset
When I have been overcome
By Glory.

(I realize I probably should credit this one, but it takes away the surprise and points a finger at these bootlegs I have so surreptitiously left. Most of the others people will recognize but this one? I’m not sure. This is a group called Known MPLS performing at EXC, and when I saw them come up and line up like a choir, you know I was excited and moving toward the stage. I talked about the power of group singing and that everybody who feels any inclination can find a group to sing with on the livestream quite a bit. It felt like this performance was for me. Of course it probably wasn’t. The director was involved with the Bon Dylan set and way to leads to way, y’know? Still it was one of the most powerful moments of the festival, seeing these 30 or so black young people get the chance to stand on a stage and bring it, bring their wonderful selves. One of my favorite moments and yeah I did some singing in that crowd.)