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Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Continental Flight 5490

The flight attendant
is a black woman.
On this narrow
ExpressJet filled
with mostly white
travellers, she serves us,
moving against the law
of gravity with a rolling tray,
handing out sandwiches, drinks.
She returns with a green garbage bag
held open as she walks the aisle to her station.

I think of her color;
I think of her duties
when I see the sweat
on her forehead, hear
her quiet apology for touching
the hem of our garments.

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