Avotcja’s Love…
“…Your love…means everything to me…”
—Charles Wright, Watts 103rd Street Band
Used to fret, whine, twist worry beads
outta shape. Used to pout like a 6th grader
starting pre-school. Used to burden my
Wife-to-be with questions concealing
statements. And statements concealing
Questions: “I don’t think Avotcja likes me…”
Used to be bothered by unceremoniously
curt, gruff, brusque, businesslike behavior.
“The seasoned Sister’s in a New York state
of mind—she’ll be over it in a New York
Minute…” Asserted my NYC Wife-to-be…
Fast forwarding a few million minutes—I
Love the way Avotcja starts spreadin’ the
Blues-infused news…Slipping, sliding—
smoothly—Spanish to Spanglish to English
and back again—Bouncing it off walls and
elephant ears of satellite dishes
picking up maternal music frequency words…
Love her electric-throned—Super Shero—
defiant/reliant; No quit grit! Out organizing, out
Working, out fighting—Out
Loving our temporarily-abled…tired asses…
Once heard her weaponized words put a pimp
across her knee—spank his ass…Make him ask,
“Mother, may I…get outta the game…get a gig
Driving Ms Daisy? Ms Mary? Ms Matty? Any
Senior sisters needin’ to shop—get to the bank—
See the doctor?!”
Fast forwarding a few million minutes—I
Love hearing “Papi Was a Dancing Man”
of crackling, triumphant, Presto-log love—
Warmth for entering from frost… Warm shower,
Wool blanket, hot apple cider, home-cooked meal
Love
Love making arrows make u-turns
midair
Love making embarrassed bullets drop
to streets in supplication and apology…
And, yes, I’m grateful she calls me her
“Brother from another Mother—” And
has Papi-love left… for sharing with me…
© 2023. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.
Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at: GoFundMe and PayPal.
Alec Karakatsanis is an attorney with a long history of work as a public defender.
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