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his son should tread Virginia soil

then let amends be made?

For ours were indeed the Lees

who bequeathed the General I lied.

For ours indeed were the Lees

who slave-farmed tobacco and crop.

For ours were indeed the Lees

who opted for rum and empire in the Indies.

For ours were the Lees

who oversaw cane and sugar,

and ours were, indeed, the Lees, came my pause,

who droit de seigneur

knotted, spliced,

with Africa’s Barbados and Jamaica women.

The result, mes chères mesdames,

was, is, er,

a crossblood of Lees

and right here

since Raleigh’s landing,

Smith’s sailing,

not to mention

those obstreperous Powhatan Indians

(and daughter princess, Mrs. Rolfe)

in virgin Virginia.

The silence

shouted

even guffawed.

Mercy, said Madame Chairman

Mercy, said the lady members.

And the black waiter

hand on bow tie

smile hardly concealed

whispered

Man, you’re in some kind of shit.

I was.

I hope.

Mississippi Headwaters

Those trickles

those gurgles

like Nature clearing its throat

and bound for Lake Itasca.

Border water