Restitution
The berries rot on the vine. Weep.
Sheperdia.
Bitter Berry.
Currant.
Goose berry.
The dark hands used to pick, gather-in
and sing.
Then, the jail times come.
Men led into darkness.
Some of them hiding in the Canadian
Mountains and caves for generations but
in their own way living good there.
The berries remembered, though.
And, how far away from them we had
to go to not live the captive life, our
mere existence a sin.
Romella Kitchens is an internationally and nationally published poet. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and has been published in numerous poetry journals and online publications. Her publications include Chiron Review, Van Gogh’s Ear, Essence Magazine, Uppagus Online, Hot Metal Bridge, The Pittsburgh Poetry Review, Paper Street, Medusa’s Kitchen and many more.