origins

by emerald carter

im from white washing

and black magic

black jesus

and dark matter

pewter bricks

and aluminum foil

macaroni and cheese

and collard greens

im from plates to go

and plates for sale.

im from block parties

and home goings

deviled eggs and baptisms

miracles and resurrections

im from take the meat

out the deep freezer

and have this house clean

by the time i get home

im from i brought you into

this world

and i can take you out

im from tell the truth

and shame the devil

im from i know you didn’t

and i wish you would

im from i call you sun cuz you

shine like one

im from we don’t die we multiply

im from viewers like you

and won’t you be my neighbor

hey! DW! woooaaah!

and please, baby please!

im from 1010 wins

im from all my life I had to fight

im from brother to the night

im from Oprah and soap operas

strange fruit and fruit loops

im from afropunk! and yasiin bey

im from sunday’s best and sunday dinner

kiss FM and BLS

im from thick rimmed glasses

and coke bottle figures

afros and pink lotion

im from corner stores

and selling loosies

playing spades

and throwing bones

im from cracked mommas

and cracked babies

florida water and washing walls

im from crystal cabinets

and glass elephants

wall units and itchy palms

smelling rain and canning fruit

im from family bibles and electric slides

im from break dancers

and curse breakers

beatboxers with boomboxes

barrettes and cassettes

mixtapes and tape decks

wash & sets and box braids

im from Kool Aid

and quarter waters

lottos and casinos

playing numbers and playing slide

patty cake and black jack

im from tweet baby and miss mary mack

im from hauntings and possessions

alzheimer’s and miscarriages

im from drumlines and gang signs

play cousins and play stations

im from docked boats and folding chairs

ancestors and survivors

magicians and morticians

im from in the beginning

im from at the end of the day

im from Black people

who made a way out of no way