Lake Lynn, Tennessee, 1854

feverish furtive flight
                                in the watercolor pre-dawn impressionist mist
           shifts misery swirls

       concealing, revealing 
                   sounds echo unmoored, unending, untraceable – 
                                                                                                        he hopes
huddled fetal free
       escapism cloaked in smoke like dope exhaled 
               foxhole fugitive from the rope
               feet pound pavement, pursuit confused, lost the scent over 
                      running water frozen time skitter jitterbug the line 

                                watch the needle dance over taut skin
                                         dark ink dark skin barcoded

            breathe mists occluding air fog twines fingers nappy hair 

  Hiding, providing 
                   excuses embraces the erasures of races

          records set stern as faces
                             serious like whip crack heart attack
                             fear the dog that’s never spared the lash

hobbled feral fierce
         pain brewed stewed fermented decanted devoured 
                  fires rage banked brown eyes
                            coals turn to wildfire  
                                    grow grumble ancient hunger 
                    wet snout sniffs mosaic patterns through space and time
                                follow fear pheromones dark rich heady scent

                          manacles clink shiver shrink away
                                 blood etched soul stained


          naked back map
          rivers of memory scar velvet perfection
                    princely skin ridges of punishment scourge
                           kindnesses reward


resting hoping
praying with closed eyes. dawn dreamed oracle

ancient branches spread
         overhead spiderweb barren refuge
                      root throne self-made king


                          searching reaching
         sniff snuffle pant puff point strain wire taut whimper whine 
                                           chain tense leash slip
                                                         release

hoarse brays rend ears
                                         years whip rends regal rags

                bared coated salivating anticipation, hunts consummation

                                predator prey two old friends meet again

                              teeth nails hair muscle wrestle paws hands

                          freedom instinct survival driver
                                    brown coat black skin bruise throat eyes roll
                                                     bare breast. fangs leap.

            jaws caught.  
                                            torn hands re-ripped life re-wrote
                       neck turned
                                                    eyes catch
                             lock
                                            snap

back to collared kindness collared greens in cellar kitchens
brothers in servitude, sharing scraps of scraps
equally hungry, equally desperate, equally

          cold. dawn remains
                             weeping runaway
                              weary rheumy eyes close
                              frothy lips quiver. breath departs rattle leaves
                     fall breeze chills
                                    goose prickles pickles black down
             howl from afar
                            un-hung head drops. heels to hie
                  ever northward
                                           through the mists