I am the tale of a kite in the Birmingham sky.

I am the crumb of hair between the teeth of an afro pick, the slats of butter in biscuit

dough.

I am Sheriff Taylor's clear breaths in that backcountry whistle, the rocks beating beneath

opi's country toes.

I am the smell of fat back in a cast iron skillet, the crust flaked off of cornbread in the oven.

I am the sparkling bellies of trains as they pass by railroad park.

I am the pothole, cupping attire, the red dirt on the hill near grandmother's house.

I am the sour and the grain.

I am the lemonade and pound cake, the gulp of air in y'all.

I am the tick of stars becoming brilliant in the sky.

Open your mouth and let me land on your tongue.

Let me wash you in Alabama heat and tell you who you are.

You are listening to Co-Switch, I am Shireen Madisal Miraji.

And I am Jean Demby.

And we are live in Birmingham, Alabama.

We have a great show for you tonight.

Mayor Randall Woodfinn is in the house to answer a few of our questions.

We have a segment we call ask Co-Switch where we take listeners questions about race and

identity and we try to answer them and we are going to have some help for that one.

We first, poet and resident Birmingham.

Ashley M. Jones is on stage with us for a segment we are calling Ask a Poet.

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