DIASPORA

The ships that long time ago
carried through the Atlantic my children,
and the chains that dragged them
through the Sahara,
carried unaware my fertile seeds,
carried unaware my aim.

Today, gladly I see
my children citizens of all countries ~
members of all families of men.
Today, gladly I see
my children know all cultures,
languages and creeds.
Today, gladly my dream I see,
the dream I had envisaged
from the beginning ~
my secret.

Now I sing
I, the Iroko, the Nile, Kilimanjaro,
with plenteous grace I sing,
I have the identity of every race.
I am my own identity
~ Africa and the Diaspora maze.

~ Emmanuel Jakpa

ART AND HEART

We hold our words,
never to say I love … whoever.
We belt our desires
to the seat of amelioration,
smile, laugh, bite whenever
like the fingers of crabs.
So far it keeps our heart
in a safe place, does it matter?

Think we play hide and seek,
hide and seek, hide and seek,
art against hearts.
How we seek the ease of distance and time,
the ease of Zodiac and signs.
So far it keeps our heart
in a safe place, does it ever matter?

~Emmannuel Jakpa