Rhythm of skin-drum
Afro-beats
Down Kensington Market.
Ash of Ghanaian headwear; camel and rust,
Patterned, a riverine dash of blue
Crissed across Kente Kufis.
Street peopled —
There is Lion in the sun’s chunter this morning.
Blessed for jelly-scented Guava
Mamey Sapotes splitting in the sun.
Sun that is blessing this blond head —
Churched in dignity by black men and women.
Wrapt like a tamarind in the voice of Nina
Lifted on Ellison's vespers
Floating with Ali or
Riding down the road like a black stallion
With Charlie Mingus.
Jettisoned on a skiff down the river to Omo Kibish
Reminded that we are all Africans
Blessed with interior freedom
Blessed to touch the skin of another and dance
Skin like a goblet-drum
Rope-tuned and cosmic