story goes that my ancestors rubbed pepper into their eyes

rubbed pepper into the eyes of their horses 

then

mounted them

and the horses took them 

away

i have no recollection which ancestors’ blood i carry in me

of who died for me to be here

the atlantic splinters my family and i have so much wood in my blood and flesh

yesterday i woke up

/the morning water of the nile flowing between my two front teeth

stenciled thick black lines around my sleepy eyes

melted soft red lines around my lips

afro a golden halo

sun in gemini

moon in cancer

venus in afro