Hide & Seek

My father
bigger than I imagined him.
Smiled like the forrest
At night, with a hidden
agenda under a muddy tongue.

Always wanted to get lost
in him. Positive the rest
of me was hiding somewhere
in his roots.

Remember his hands. Wonder
if palms collected melanin for
fun. Or was it just a fetish for sticking
his brown where it had no business
being.

Skin thick like leather.

What kind of hide were you
sewn from father?
Surely the universe would not
have wasted its best flesh
on you.

Skin thick like leather
my backside can’t tell
the difference. Once,
it stung so bad I thought
you branded me.

But I will never be chattel.
Refuse to claim the legacy
you can't let go of.

If I could I’d unstitch it
From your hands. Make a wallet
with the scraps of you.
Something disposable.

But you’ve been treating your
Leather with coco butter
And tears of your children
For years….

and I must say
You age well.