PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I took a journey once

some time ago.  



An uplifting journey to

a place where everyone

looked like me.  



I mean every color of the

Earth tone rainbow was

represented in its beauty.



And all I could do was...



look and cry.



I took a ship where I was

working everyday for 12

hours doing something

this or that or whatever.



And my brothers all went

about their business all

oblivious to me AND each

other.



But when the cattle boats

came to ferry us ashore

to the Motherland,



All WE could do was...



look and cry.



I mean don't get the

brother twisted.  I am

THAT brother.  Soul solid,

raised "po", independent,

the intellect of Timbuktu,

the strength of the Ashanti

and the Cherokee, wise,

sun-blessed, and seeking

further knowledge of self.



But to set foot upon the

cattle boats, standing on

wooden planks in the waters

where my ancestors were

borne away from their homes...



Then...



To set foot upon this land,

this earth, this soil...



among the peoples of the

Sun, the Nubians rebirth...



The prodigal sons returned...



Brothers were askin' each other

"do you feel that shit"?  As tears

streaked down every cheek.  And we

were all silent as we stepped from

the cattle boats.



I couldn't help it.  They came

of their own accord and I

let them flow freely as my foot

came to rest upon the land

where my forefathers walked

without contention.  



My heart, warmed by the Swahili

greetings of my bretheren...



"Jhambo!" my brothers...



Jhambo!



Greeted warmly by the tribe of

Masai Warriors.



We talked and supped with one

another and spoke of hurt

feelings and animosity towards

those born abroad.  And we

spoke of life from our perspective...



Where I'm from...



On my Block...



In my hood...



With "down" brothers...

and a "set-tight" click...

and "posse-deep"...

and "mob-deep"...

and rollin' wit "my set"...

flossin' wit my "crew"...

and we was "wile-in" kid, wit my "tribe"!



But I'm sayin, we ain't from

here, but we from HERE!  And

can't nothin stop us from being

here because we share the blood.



And we left here on ships,

fought to get off ships,

had to fight to get on ships,

and we came back...HERE...on ships!



Unshackled!



Free men.  Of our own volition.

Of our own accord.  On our own

terms.  



And although Uncle Sam was footin'

the bill, and although the Captain

was sayin things like...



"Be careful of the water and those

people"



And the "other man" was sayin things

like...



"Why the hell did we come here?"

"Ain't shit to do in Africa."

"Wonderful, it ain't as if we don't

have enough of them on board already".



Or some simply dedcided not to get off the ship.



And Richard Pryor was right...I didn't hear the word

nigger once.  Cause to speak it was un-called for or

...unhealthy.



And I met Europeans who spoke to me as a person and

met teachers and doctors educated in England but looked

like my cousin Al from North Carolina.  And met beautiful

black women of all shapes, sizes, and colors.



And had breakfast prepared before me by an African chef...

and went on a photo safari...

and swam in the pool and lounged by the pool and found out

that alcohol is just as strong in Africa as it is where

I'm fr...



I know who I am, now.  I truly know who I am. And I am

many things.  But at the top of that list I am above all

a black man.  The 12th generation son of captives who is

proud of his heritage and stands strong and free.  Made

wise and now in-tune all because of...



a journey I took once some time ago.