I guess my
grandmothers' grandmothers
were ravaged by Cossacks
or the Golden Horde
because of this we have
features in our family
that reach back
through history
shed a
tear
and
sometimes
leave
a shudder of fear
when I look in the mirror
I see the story of me
my DNA that has spiraled
and fought to be free
and in some way
some magical way
channels through time
and prompts the notion
to publish this rhyme

the apache kid