Sprinkling The Hot Foot Powder

I laid down the
‘Drive Away Powder’
Walking backwards
All around my house.

Every doorway.
Every window.

I need to rid myself
Of these disturbing phantoms
That keep me up at night.

A mixture of
Red Pepper
Sulphur
Salt
Snake skin sheds
Essential oils of Black Pepper
And other herbal extracts
Powdered bones and insects
Anvil dust
Mullein and Sage.

A hoodoo secret concoction
Made by a well trusted Mambo
A few blocks away from me.

I placed your footprint dirt in a paper bag
On which I had written your name 9 times.

I included bits of your hair
That I scavenged
With
Nine pins
Nine needles
And nine nails.

I tossed the mixture over my left shoulder
Into the moving water
Of the Delaware
And walked away
Without looking back
As a waning moon
Was drawn into the black sky.

Poor river
As if it wasn’t polluted enough.