Full Immersion
At the age of nine, Pa drove me
to the river. The pastor & deacons
awaited. I donned a white robe,
transparent, self-conscious
of my fresh nubs.
Father Jonas reached beneath me,
placed a hand over my nose & mouth.
I resisted.
He pushed me hard until my feet released
& rose to the surface, like a corpse.
I cried afterward, cold & clammy,
wet hair plaited back.
All the men thought I was full
of the Holy Ghost.
Valerie Wetlaufer, "Full Immersion" from Mysterious Acts by My People. Copyright © 2014 by Valerie Wetlaufer. Reprinted by permission of Sibling Rivalry Press.
Source:
Mysterious Acts by My People
(Sibling Rivalry Press, 2014)