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My second-most favorite piece
of Spiritual Music
has nothing to do
with tranquility:
it has everything to do
with
where I first heard it
in a jukebox
across the street
from where
I received
my first paycheck
as a teacher
+
where my father's family
first lived
in New York
The song is
by
Roberta Flack
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My Father's family lived at various locations in Harlem:
ReplyDeletewhich is built into my DNA, meaning I was not intended
to teach in a lily-white school.
ALSO... my Uncle—Monsignor Oliverio—told me
that his most satisfying moments as a priest
were refereeing Midnight Basketball
in Harlem, where the players were from
opposing street gangs.
Their only dispute would be
which gang would pay for my Uncle's breakfast
-Oliverio