Mambo Arusha? (Poa!)
Vipi? (Safi!)
Jina Langu Mankwe. Ninatoka Minnesota, Mmericani na Meru. Mimi ni Mmeru Mnegro – TanzAmericana.
Naomba kuimba kidogo sawa? (Sawa)
Ocean>Metal
Don’t bring zippers to the ocean
Just skin and wood and stone
Shell and scale and feather
Weed and twine and bone
Ooooh
Oooooh.
The ocean will change your metal to fossil
The ocean will turn your iron to sand
The ocean will pull your mind through the reef
And wash your spirit free
And wash your spirit free
Float on – open your hands…
Float on – open your hands…
Float on – open your hands…
Daily work of women
Hard work
Same drudgery every day
They are each others’ flowers
Strong clean hands
Full of intent
Raw from soap and heat and water
Careful with sharp objects
I watch like a spoiled child
Hope to bring something fresh – some new interesting to their lives
Something to nourish their days
Instead of being extra burden
I am humbled by their strength and sweetness
Their openness to me
No (on being a stranger)
No traveler’s checks
No right shoes
No language
No manners
No understanding
No proverbs
No familiarity
No excuses
No worries
No intimidation
No misery
No hurry
No quiet
No rest
No use
No one to trust
But ancestors
And creator
And through them
To trust my steps
Trust my vision
Trust my tongue
Trust my gut
Trust humanity
Especially those
Who would meet my eyes
With theirs
Compassionate and
Joyful
Loud beauty
Dusty grace
Rugged dignity
Tired eyes
Glowing skin
Masterful laughter
Resilient souls
Wisdom fingers
(Photo credit: Mankwe Ndosi)
Ol home Minnesota … discomforting assumptions.
I’m the black girl down the street
The one you watch so vigilantly
For signs of niggerosity
I’m so visible
watched
but unseen
I’m the black girl down the street
The one you love to measure out
The one you love until I’m not needed
You out of comfort
Unconscious assumptions
Niceness transforms
As live stresses
Underline the differences
Dandelions do my work for themselves
I don’t worry
As you squirm
Toxic lawns push so hard
Poison better
Than being different it seems
I’m not from here
Neither are you
Just assume ownership
Of anything that you fence off
But fences don’t penetrate the heart.
My people are from over there and under
But we stick to our swords
We stick to our places
We stick to our worth
And to our loves.
Dalla smash
1600 shillings to our every US dolla
and no one gets paid enough
except the dealers
and the bankers
and anyone else
trying to squeeze out a little more from the ones, we can squeeze it from
squeezed in – realizing that my adventuring is daily struggle
not for research amusement or story experience
but for dusty flat foot survival and revival
maybe the wazungu are more honest
drive thru in SUV’s like tour busses – go-pro cameras out to record the daily prowl
out to stop for awhile – then back to that other world / easy world
– but that’s me isn’t it?
– But that’s not me
It’s hard to explain to my family and friends
Or the mountain
– that I don’t want to be a tourist – do the tourist attractions:
game park/mountain climb/street food/fancy hotel
It’s hard to explain that I’m not a tourist – or rather – it’s not that I don’t want to look at the animals or climb the mountain
Just that I can’t make it my focus
My priority is my family
And on setting the conditions for me to return.
(credit: Mankwe Ndosi)
Oil Poor
flies drowning in our oil dreams
ant stranded in honey
ruin paradise for currency
ready to be wash down gutter liquefied
we replace the oil
with our bodies
daily
just take an eon to press us down into the next
lubrication
for our family to come…
Warm with the wind
Unwind your mind
Warm with the wind
You aint gotta be
Nothing you ain’t . . .
You ain’t gotta do
Nothin’ you don’t wanna
All this protection
Watchin’ for ya
This your time
Lean in to it
Don’t know one mind
Ain’t no one tryin’ to fret ya.
Unwind your mind
And let the living respect ya
Show you how
To be cared for
Be expected
To care right back
You awwriiiight
Just let us know
Where your line is
Feel yo’ might
An tryin to be part of it
We don’t know
any more than you
Where this high
tide is takin’ us
too.
Feels awww riiight
And whatever life leaves us
We’ll be fine
Pole pole
Pole pole
Makin’ it right / makin’ it right
Pole pole
Pole pole
Makin’ it right / makin’ it right
Do you feel it gal.
Do you feel it right.
Do you feel it gal.
Do you feel it tight
Do you feel it gal
Do you feel it true
Do you feel it
Movin inside you
Movin’ movin’ movin’ inside you.
This home
I have secured by returning
alone. . . and early. . . to be with them
…even when I do not need to
to honor them and care for those who care for me.
(for Lucky, Teddy, Paulo, Edmond, Martin, Louis, Tommy, Alpha, Felicitas)
