in the mornings we step with caution
eyes averted, senses spurred
and stand patiently at the back of a long line of misheard superstitions:
man said don't step on the cats, before you slip clean through
come we sit, hidden behind black faces printed on paper
flipping through pages of the source
threatening to break free from its loose-fitting
glossy lesson binder jacket
until under the unwatchful eyes of a careless educator
tears falling into a large round mug of fire and milk
we recall two hands pressed firmly against the tormentors
sharing fatigue and playing dead at the back of the class
with rocket and coconut drop stained fingers
and feet fed firmly in the ground like eddoes
a circle is drawn, the toes turn spirit in the soil
na know who told we it a nine card run
we just knew the tell
© Curtis Ackie 2022
Mœbius, The World of Edena