Breeze Vincinz

ROPES

© Breeze Vincinz

i know of the ropes in which we swung

from trees

from twilight to sunlight

how they bound cattle more humane

for the slaughter

than they did my father and my mother

in a similar slaughter

with the same ropes that

I swung from on trees

from twilight to sunlight

we hung

like sambo christmas tree ornaments

in some sambo christmas play

so bright in the eyes

of the christmas men

the christ men

the christians

who felt it was god’s will

to hang me

to dry

with rope

on trees

from twilight to sunlight

in hopes that my soul would dry up

like the skin they hated so much did

from my bones

my children saw

they wanted them to

see me tied with rope

less humanely

than they would bind cattle

for the slaughter

from twilight to sunlight

to cook my own skin

from my own bones

for my own children to see

whom they bound also

with the same rope

which i know about

and i tell you

the same rope

grows out of your head

i tell you it does

and i know what i speak

because i know of these ropes

and when i touched your head

i felt avenged

for the lion’s have made nests of the nets

and i imagine

the carcasses of the hunters

will soon be their only shelter

for the rope that bound me

is the rope that can free you

it comes out of your head

i tell you it does

and i know what i speak

because u know of these ropes

and how they were accoutrements of hate

and how i touched your head

and how they are now accoutrements of pride

centuries later

as you slept

more peaceful than i ever imagined

loam colored people could

my arms in your arms

my lips on your lips

my hands in your hair

thinking of how it once

bound

less humanely than cattle

and pierced my flesh

in hopes that the holes would go deeper

but here i am

centuries later

with you

ropes coming from your head

falling down your back

with no scars

falling down your chest

with no scars

and how you’ve never been hungry

and how you’ve got opportunity

and how you’ve never seen your parents

hung from a tree

and how you are the epitome

of beauty

and i lay with you

from twilight to sunlight

and the rope i was bound with

you use to climb yourself to freedom with

as you carry on your daily business

you have daily business

the loam colored brother you are

with ropes growing from your head

which intimidates

i laugh

the rope once used to bind

grows from your head

long enough to bind

those christmas men

those christ men

those christians

who felt it was god’s will

to hang me

to dry

i will never be dry

and you will never be dry

and we will never be dry

and i tell you this

because i know what i speak

that we are saturated