IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE

Poetry by Nenyi Ato Bentum Skits of souls surround a fetish hut Each scene tells the depth of the cut This was not a green Greek TRAGEDY Those who came here never returned Those who returned never came here Ferried fathers, aborted abductors; Sinful sorcerers, paid pawns, Wayside wanderers, jilted...

TEACH THIS TO OUR CHILDREN

Poetry by Favour Orlando When the umbilical cords that attached us to our mothers were excised, The crafted words of our people, of our land, defined us, Not the high-pitched voice of colonialism, Or its firm iron fist pressed on our rigid backs While we laboured under the vibrant sun....

HEAD OF A KING (OBA)

Poetry by Chukwuebuka Osondu-Imafidon The ‘Oba’ that I am referring to is the statue that was once in the RISD Museum, but has now been returned to its rightful owners. The points of view are in the following order: the colonizer who stole it, the mask itself, and the museum...

MAWULI

Poetry by Kordjo Zankeli ever since Nananom mustered Dutch couragefrom the libation we offer with J.H. Henkes schnapps, distilled to taste like Genever, the Gods have forever taken a French leave; present everywhere, but here. 777 perfect full moons ago, the God of Adenta fled to Atlanta; the God of...

THE CROSSROADS SPIRITS OF THE DEAD MIGRANTS MUST RETURN HOME

Poetry by Sello Huma Remember those who transitioned in crowded rickety vessels sailing to Europe those thousands washed by the waves of the ocean In search of dollar and euro signs Your transitioning lives down a scar full of questions to the status quo Some couldn’t face the atomic sounds...

4 PASSAGE BLUES

Poetry by Gabriel Awuah Mainoo                                                                                            first blizzard…                                                                                           heaves the refugee girl’s                                                                                           teddy bear nowhere & back                                                               exodus─ a cartel of                                                             pharaoh ants smuggling cannabis leaf                                                             over the border bar                                 airport                               all the lukewarm hugs                               we do not press with iron   migration blues a foreigner’s footsteps settles in...

BLACK AND WHITE!

Poetry by Reekelitsoe Rapoeea Bojack wise men, Bojack white men, Bojack white men brought their Gospel. Bojack horse men of our apocalypse.   The Golden rule, whoever has the gold makes the rules. An old move, gold-dig only to give an oppressor to rule. A bold move, gold-dig to inspire...

SELF-PORTRAIT AS A RESTITUTION

Poetry by Frank Njugi / Senegal - May 17, 2022 ; Three arrests after alleged homophobic attack on foreigner ( africanews.com ) /                                                               So it is better to speak remembering                                                                       we were never meant to survive                                                                            - A litany for survival , Audre Lorde   I take a photograph...

WHEN HOME IS A CALRDON…

Poetry by Joshua Idowu Omidire thirsty man fills his cartridges with roses. it takes a blood spring to quench a morbid thirst. lives fall like withered petals in the face of shattering shots. that’s how bloodless gods defend their territories. cartographer is busy drawing lines across the lands. the stripes...

BED AND BEDDING

Poetry by Charlotte Derby Kete Krachi was the town I had flown sixteen hours first class in a tin bird drove nine hours on a rough bumpy road to meet a woman     -   My mother’s, mother’s, mother   Her little hut was her castle Her fingers, a mixture of wrinkles...