The Etymology of “CHUUCH!”

By E’mon Lauren
chuuch /church

[pronounced without the r. the r is the hump on our backs. too much to weigh /wait. imagine replacing the r with u. the cupping is softer. all the things it holds. it often sounds like ahh. round and complete. it all comes together. like home.]
 
  1. from the renowned amen! meaning let it be. or so it is. or so may have it. and take into agreement. this the stamp. the let it be said and sold. the solidarity screaming from the stem of our spouts. this is the yes.
  2. used in positions of incognegro. the screech beyond the never-lands of our blocks. posted and protecting. remember the code. often known as i peep game. or the never ending i’m on it, bro.  closing the deal. the celebration of i see you. welcome to my memory for another day. let the house of our bodies be grateful. for our sacrifices have not killed us. yet.
  3. said like a vaccine. the awkwardness dancing on your lip before your words fall and ruin the show. this can also be the broken promise. the text you know you won’t reply to. the person you  drag your heart for with no supplies left to clean. this is sometimes the last stake. the call of i don’t understand, but imma figure this shit out. the choir is singing and you can’t understand anything  sang. you sing. for the house is still bouncing. ace boom cooling.
  4. this is not to be confused with sending off. it’s the most honest thing we are unsure of. for every house is not covered. so we cover our prayer with a this is it. this is real and our lives. we do not agree to this condition of our well-being. blast and break our cinder blocks like tambourines. we weave the stories together. thank and talk through our teeth. for we know. we understand. we light the sky. shake up with god and find the move. keep the key. keep it pushing.
Source: Poetry (April 2018)