(a poem. black lives matter.)
aunt zo
you tell your aunt zo you’re feeling low
while she's cooking pastelillos on the stove
you talk about politicians michigans missouris orlandos
she says she’s gonna love you to the moon
to baghdad then back to baton rouge
she says there’s no stopping that just like there’s no stopping bad news
if you’re scared you still got a ways to go
if you don’t care then you don’t know
she lays the pastelillos out to dry
drops pigeon peas and bullion into rice
she says you were just five or six when your uncle passed from this life
she takes you to the corner of the room
where she keeps her late husband’s old tools
she says all these are yours to keep now go out and find something to do
if you’re scared you still got a ways to go
if you don’t care then you don’t know
