(This poem is to express my gratitude to the victims
of slavery . . .)

Letter to Mom from America

Mom . . .
I finally got to the “unreturn land.”
One hundred and  years
After Abraham Lincoln.
Unlike your cousin,
I traveled as a free man.
I didn’t come aboard a slave ship.
I didn’t stop in Casamence.
When our plane landed at JFK airport,
No one came to buy me.
No one opened my mouth
To ñnd out if I was sick.
They even called me “Sir.”
A lady said to me:
“Sir, Welcome to America.”
I know I should have Written earlier.
I couldn’t make it
Because I was looking for your cousin.
I finally met her daughter.
I mean, the daughter of the son of your cousin.
No, in fact she is the daughter of the son
Of the daughter of your cousin.
The one Who once Went aboard one of these ships.
She was happy to talk to me.
She told me she was suffering
Not knowing Where she Was coming from.

When I asked her if she heard about Africa,
“Of course, yes. I learned alot from T.V.,” she said.
She then asked me about bigamy and freedom.

I told her about the family values We still share.
She asked me what happened to
Rwanda, Somalia, Algeria, and Liberia.
I told her about South Africa, Tunisia, and Ghana.
She asked me about
Mobutu, Abacha, Eyaderna, Biya.
I told her about Mandela, Soyinka, and Kofi Annan.
She Wanted to know more about you.
I proposed to take her back.
She said, “Only for a short Visit.”
I then realized that you Were right.
Right to call the journey
Your cousin took two centuries ago,
The UN RETURNED JOURNEY.