Ayodele Heath

Genealogy of the Byrd Family

I.

My Mama maiden name is Byrd.  Word is 

da name came from my 

Great-

       Great-

               Great

Granddaddy Junie, 

who useta catch da Holy Ghost     

            in da cottonfields             

spinnin round & spreadin 

his 

   long 

         black 

               arms, 

wide like wings against da sky—

Dey say like dat eagle 

who teach da angels how to fly.

                                      Hallelujah!

II.

But Big Mama Sadie say, Unh, unh, 

Dat name come from 

Great-

       Great-

               Great-

                        Great Auntie Boo, who

useta lead da worksongs in da cane fields 

with a soprano so high & sweet

she made da bluest hummingbirds dance 

& da greenest cane lean down & weep 

rivers of brown sugar.

                                      Sweet Jesus!

III.

But Big Uncle Toonkie say, Naw naw naw 

Dat name come from 

Great-

       Great-

               Great 

                    Great-Great Grandpapa Adika

who on da ninety-ninth lash in da ricefield

finally fell to his knees before da overseer
turned east toward Africa

                                   (Glory)
sprouted wings like a sankofa1
                                   (Oh glory!)
rose toward Freedom &jus 
flew away!
                                                Good God Almighty!        

IV.

Dat’s what dey say.

But da truth of da matter 
is dat Byrd come to us 
from a Carolina slavemasta
who folk in England ran dis ol’ country inn
dat for generations came to be known 
da whole kingdomwide
for dey collection of exotic African birds 
which never flew,

but which dey kept 
caged-up 
inside.