African American Poetry: A Digital Anthology

Edward S. Silvera (Edward Silvera), "Washerwoman" (1927)

Today--tomorrow
And the day after tomorrow
The song of the washboard
Is beautiful to her ears
And the water makes her hands
Clean and white
Like the hands of Jesus;
The clothes on the line too
Are clean and white and beautiful
Like the robes of Jesus:
Wrinkled old woman--
When Sunday comes 
And the minister preaches
About the beautiful robes of Jesus
She will think about Mrs. Gregory's clothes
White and beautiful on the line,
White like the robes of Jesus.
She will be happy because her hand are clean--
Clean like the hands of Jesus. 


Published in The Messenger, June 1927
Also Published in Black Opals, June 1928

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