River to river to river––

love and beauty and death

stretching for miles the skin of my heart

from high tide to low.

Thinking about America

and the best way to go.

That morning sun,

he always come up bleeding,

and sweet sugar moon,

she mostly go down screamin’.

Between a woman and the door

and the man beneath the floor

I keep sweatin’ bout America

and which way I should go.

Whereas my skin is black

my world is sho’ nuff white.

Hand jivin’ just to beat the blues

and waiting fast for the night.

It’s true I ponder as I wander,

but most times I think I know.

On the road to my taste of heaven

I don’t mind travelin’ slow.

Love and beauty and death—

river to river to river

lynching these dreams swinging naked in my heart,

screaming for mercy from high tide to low,

I think hard about America

and the best way for me to go.

Aberjhani

© 2005