A Letter to the Baby Under the Car in Natchez, Mississippi

A Letter to the Baby Under the Car in Natchez, Mississippi

Little One, A few days ago in Natchez, Mississippi, you were laid on the ground beneath a car. You are four months old, soft, new, and still learning the shape of air. In that moment your precious body is pressed against pavement that does not know your name. In the photograph, you are small, your limbs are open, and your face is drawn tight with a cry that is searching for something it expects to find. Above you is the undercarriage of a car. A…