Uncle Remus

As a boy my sisters
And brother and I were
Fascinated by a tin mask
From the Caribbean which
We called Uncle Remus after
The movie Song of the South
About Joel Chandler Harris’
Uncle Remus stories about
Brer’ Rabbit though we
Did not know so young
That Remus was a
Slave name in the
South based on
The brother of
Romulus who
Founded
Rome
But who
Killed his
Brother Remus.
We would hold the
Mask with its tin face
And feathers in front of
Our face to the instant
Amusement and quick
Laughter of our
Nervous sibs
Never tiring
Of these
Games
Unaware
Of the history
Of Uncle Remus
As a southern story
Teller of Brer’ Rabbit
Who was sometimes the
Victim of hate crimes
But sometimes the
Perpetrator but
Always Uncle
Remus kept
Smiling,
Sort of
Like
PBS.