Our People II

CM Burroughs

All cousins know the electric slide/ how

to spell/despite the stink of it/chitterlings

or chitlins/the odor of pig feet or catfish

under a steam of vinegar/ believe

blood is the most important thing/bring

family up for better or worse/better

the family or bemoan who just

won’t do right/ learn early the

power fist/dap/pound/and running

man/invent glorious ways to say

“brother” with intricacies of hands/we

cool/give elders their due/cull histories

in quilts/set records/set beats/set

rights/set Black Jesus/love our tannin

skin/drown yowls in jazz/ watch blocks

bristle heat/in the hundreds/it’s past

sundown/Mecca’s everywhere now.