spelman college winter

in the blue sky few clouds and those thin
the cold air shapes our coats into small flags
no soaring spirit on this bright day it sags
even as the billows make us seem to win
against the force that pushes us within
our small limits instead like empty bags
we flutter on the streets like wornout rags
in cheerful breeze we've taken it on the chin
now here's another world beyond the gate
grim redbrick academic not-quite-goth
it has all the power and presence that it needs
a testament to its good luck and fate
there's no need here for some gaudy cloth
instead there's energy bound in the seeds