A Slave Narrative

Frederick Douglass writes in his narrative of the Methodists justifying slavery with religion.

Justifying oppression with love.
Expressing concern with constraints.
Converting wrong-doing to blame.

Douglass, a slave. Education, the key to success.

My key?

Freedom.

Frozen

The cold of the weather
The cold of the pain
The holes in your sweater
The hole in your brain
The time looking forward
The time standing still
The cold hollow hole
The time-willing will

OX

not the animal. But a Hug and Kiss.

O, the emptiness. X marking the spot.

O, the shape of your head, shrinking in the rearview, out of sight.

and X, your arms crossing over my shoulders as I go,

before I pull away.

OX XOXO XXX XOXO

and I pull away.