how to get over by t'ai freedom ford

Author:t'ai freedom ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Hen Press
Published: 2017-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Sister

for my mother and Auntie Sister

By the time you reach

home, a pack of black mouths

at your back, Sister is leaning

in the doorframe, frowning.

Your pigeon-toed saddle shoes

dust themselves up the driveway.

Your defeated limbs disown you—

wish for a braver body.

At the porch steps, Sister rolls her eyes,

lips pursed. Your sweated-out

bangs, a ghetto visor for your browning

brow. In 1962, the sun still hates niggers.

Sister is lighter, older, heavier, and almost

ugly. This makes her the meanest

person you have ever shared

a bed with, and she can’t stand

punks. She palms a broken

broom handle, eyes a piece of chainlink

dangling on the twisted wrought-iron railing,

squints at a rock the size of a shot put,

shakes her head at your helpless self.

And you know that there ain’t no coming

home unless you turn ’round, grab the chain,

swing blindly, and fight—the sun, the black

mouths, a chorus of cuss words singing

your praises. Of course, your eyeless

swinging misses, but your fists are sudden

beasts feasting on heat and open mouths.

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