no one leaves home unless
home is the mouth of a shark
you only run for the border
when you see the whole city running as well
your neighbors running faster than you
breath bloody in their throats
the boy you went to school with
who kissed you dizzy behind the old tin factory
is holding a gun bigger than his body
you only leave home
when home won’t let you stay.
no one leaves home unless home chases you
fire under feet
hot blood in your belly
it’s not something you ever thought of doing
until the blade burnt threats into
your neck
and even then you carried the anthem under
your breath
only tearing up your passport in an airport toilets
sobbing as each mouthful of paper
made it clear that you wouldn’t be going back.
you have to understand,
that no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land
no one burns their palms
under trains
beneath carriages
no one spends days and nights in the stomach of a truck
feeding on newspaper unless the miles travelled
means something more than journey.
no one crawls under fences
no one wants to be beaten
pitied
no one chooses refugee camps
or strip searches where your
body is left aching
or prison,
because prison is safer
than a city of fire
and one prison guard
in the night
is better than a truckload
of men who look like your father
no one could take it
no one could stomach it
no one skin would be tough enough
the
go home blacks
refugees
dirty immigrants
asylum seekers
sucking our country dry
niggers with their hands out
they smell strange
savage
messed up their country and now they want
to mess ours up
how do the words
the dirty looks
roll off your backs
maybe because the blow is softer
than a limb torn off
or the words are more tender
than fourteen men between
your legs
or the insults are easier
to swallow
than rubble
than bone
than your child body
in pieces.
i want to go home,
but home is the mouth of a shark
home is the barrel of the gun
and no one would leave home
unless home chased you to the shore
unless home told you
to quicken your legs
leave your clothes behind
crawl through the desert
wade through the oceans
drown
save
be hunger
beg
forget pride
your survival is more important
no one leaves home until home is a sweaty voice in your ear
saying-
leave,
run away from me now
i dont know what i’ve become
but i know that anywhere
is safer than here
Category Archives: African Lit
In Honor of Refugees – Home by Warsan Shire
Filed under African Lit
National Poetry Month featuring Nayyirah Waheed
“what i never
learned
from my mother
was that
just because someone desires you
does
not mean they value you.
desire is the kind of thing that
eats you
and
leaves you starving.”
– The Color of Low Self Esteem
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Filed under African Lit
What He’s Reading: Wole Soyinka’s ‘Prisonettes’
In 1967 Wole Soyinka was imprisoned for twenty-two months, a large part of the time in isolation. He has said that the prison is meant to “break down the human mind”, and yet, without much opportunity to write, and often having to memorize in large part, he constructed, A Shuttle in the Crypt, a book of poems which he terms ‘prisonettes’. A ‘prisonette’ is not a poem of or about prisons, but what can come out of the prisons given that they are not the constructions in which anyone can occupy such a space. The prison is the specific expression of the prisoner; the prison was made for the prisoner—it is the natural expression of poetics of place.
‘Prisonettes’, though, are not ontological, though, in the sense of producing a certain kind of being—”a new kind of man, a Negro”. They are the expressions of those beings for whom prison is their ‘natural end’. In other words, a ‘prisonette’ is the expression of what Abdul R. Jan Mohamed terms, in his description of Richard Wright, as a death-bound subject. A ‘prisonette’ addresses the question posed by Etheridge Knight, “can there anything/good come out of/prison”
“We sought to cleanse the faulted lodes
To raise new dwellings pillard on crags…
…Forge new realities, free our earth
Of distorting shadows cast by old
And modern necromancers.” (Excerpt from “Conversation at Night with a Cockroach”)
Filed under African Lit, What We're Reading
World Poetry Day: You Are Oceanic
You Are Oceanic
By Tapiwa Mugabe
All she wanted
Was find a place to
Stretch her bones
A place to lengthen
Her smiles
And spread her hair
A place where her
Legs could walk
Without cutting and
Bruising
A place unchained
She was born out of
Ocean breath.
I reminded her;
‘Stop pouring so
Much of yourself
Into hearts that have
No room for
Themselves
Do not thin yourself
Be vast
You do not bring the
Ocean to a river’
Filed under African Lit, For Lovers, Readers and Me
What She’s Reading: Love Is Power Or Something Like That
Its been a long time since we’ve written – sorry. One major life update is that we got hitched!
We are back from our honeymoon and have not forgotten about our loyal readers. In fact, we read Incidence In The Life of a Slave Girl during our vacation and can’t wait to blog about it! Yes, we read a book during our honeymoon. We love reading almost as much as we love each other so it’s fitting that it was one of our activities 😉
Back to the matter at hand…
A. Igoni Barrett’s fascinating collection of short stories surrounding the lives of several unconnected characters living in both rural and urban Nigeria. This collection has completely captivated my attention since the new year began. The title is what initially grabbed my attention but Barrett’s prose is equally engaging. He is outstanding in his use of witty and, at times, his devastating exploration of humanity in stories ranging from a trouble youth involved in money scams, a police officer balancing his unethical work life with his familial commitment, and an old woman struggling with isolation. These stories take you by surprise, unfolding the lives and relationships of each character masterfully. It is clear that Barrett’s illustration that love is a dynamic force, transforming the actions of each character.
I’m in love with this collection. I highly recommend giving it a read but, as always, am interested in hearing your thoughts on Barrett’s work as well. Share your impressions…
Filed under African Lit, What We're Reading
A Short, Cringe-Worthy Post: Achebe and Emecheta
I HATE when critics compare African novelists – whether they be Anglophone, Francophone or Lusophone – to Chinua Achebe. It’s as though Achebe is the only writer to have ever written anything noteworthy on the Continent and that all writers thereafter must somehow be compared to his work. Don’t get me wrong, he was a brilliant man; but there are countless other outstanding African authors (both past and present) who will blow you away in a variety of unique ways.
With that said, I have to make a statement that I swore I would never make about any author, particularly one coming from Nigeria. Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood reminds me of Achebe’s writing, specifically, Things Fall Apart. There I said it.
Both authors are from Nigeria, Igbo/Ibo roots to be specific, and both write in a descriptive and introspective manner. Both novels tackle social and cultural norms from a gender specific lens – Emecheta from a woman’s perspective and Achebe from a man’s – rooted in their village’s practices. Both protagonists also fall victim to their loyalty for tradition, obligation, and ancestral legacy. I use the word victim because historic events play a strong background role in both novels, a role which neither protagonist foresaw.
For me, the similarities don’t end there but the purpose of this post is to ask our readers for their thoughts on the two novels …
Filed under African Lit
What She’s Reading
Of Africa by Wole Soyinka
To be honest, this text is a bit all over the place and Soyinka’s conclusions are not as tightly drawn as I expected. However, in Of Africa Soyinka is attempting to tackle “Africa’s culture, religion, history, imagination, and identity” and “understand how the continent’s history is entwined with the histories of others”. This, quite simply, is no easy task! Soyinka ambitiously takes this on and writes as though he is having an intimate but eloquent conversation with an eager yet indivisible (and well-read… as Soyinka assumes the reader’s familiarity with World history and politics) reader sitting at his feet. Soyinka cements himself as a treasure. This is made evident in Of Africa by Soyinka’s vast historical and cultural knowledge as well as the plethora of notable gems sprinkled throughout the text.
The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta
“Her love and duty for her children were like her chain of slavery.”
The above is a powerful quote from Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood that encapsulates the dichotomy between modernity and motherhood. In less than 250 pages, Emecheta succeeds in scripting a tale that is both social commentary and compelling story. Set in a small village in post colonial Nigeria and moving to the bustling capital of Lagos, this is the story of Nnu Ego and the tragedy and triumphs of childbirth. Thus far, this is a beautiful novel and one that I will more than likely recommend for our Afro-readers.
Filed under African Lit, What We're Reading
Magical Realism in Afro-Literature
The death of Gabriel Garcia Marquez marks the passing of yet another literary giant. His presence will be missed but his words are guaranteed to live on through his work. In addition to his most well-known novels Love In The Time of Cholera and 100 Years of Solitude, Marquez left a legacy that is synonymous with the literary genre “magical realism” by effortlessly infusing reality with fantasy.
Magical realism incorporates enchanting or other-world elements into otherwise commonplace stories. Marquez mastered this art and solidified his presence as one of the greats within the genre. However, he was not the first to utilize this technique. Magical elements have historically played a role in African and African-Diaspora literature and story telling. A quick web-search will reveal countless books, articles and academic papers on the subject. It’s late, so I’ll spare you the history and instead provide a list of my five favorite novels that feature magical realism.
Add your favorites in the comments below.
5) Mama Day by Gloria Naylor
A story, depicting the mysterious Miranda “Mama” Day and her niece Ophelia, that takes place in a fictional island off the coast of Georgia. It’s reminiscent of a Shakespearean novel and depicts the tragedy and sacrifice between lovers.
4) Kindred by Octavia Butler
This bewitching tale follows Dana Franklin as she involuntarily travels through time in an attempt to preserve her lineage and ensure her own survival. It’s a fast-paced historical novel that secures Butler’s role as the mother of modern science fiction and magical realism.
3) The Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong’o
The Wizard of the Crow is as entertaining as it is politically astute. The story surrounds citizens within a fictional African country ruled by an aging dictator. In this novel I’m not sure which concepts are more absurd – the magical occurrences or the real current events from which the story is based . . .
2) Beloved by Toni Morrison
Beloved is the story of an escaped slave who is haunted by her past. Not only is it an epic historical fiction novel, Morrison expertly guides the reader in and out of each character’s psychosis until the line between magic and reality is practically invisible. Don’t let the (horrible) film adaptation deter you from exploring this novel; this isn’t just about slavery just as it isn’t simply a ghost story.
1) The Famished Road by Ben Okri
What is it about the country of Nigeria that produces game-changing authors and pioneers in literature? Not only is The Famished Road laced with realistic-feeling magical elements, Okri’s writing style is purely enchanting. The first few chapters of the book are so beautifully written that the novel is spell-binding. Ben Okri writes like no author I have ever encountered. He’s brilliant, no question, but I’m now convinced there’s wizardry involved!
Filed under African Lit, Afro-American Lit
What She’s Reading: “Dzino – Memories of a Freedom Fighter” and “The Long Song”
Wilfred Mhanda, whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Harare last year, pens a detailed and intriguing account of the the guerrilla war in Rhodesia, Zimbabwe’s subsequent independence, the rise of the ZANU party, and the rise President Mugabe. This is a must-read narrative containing first hand accounts of political rivalries and perhaps the most in-depth account of President Mugabe’s rise within the ZANU-PF party.
I tagged this one as “Afro-European Lit” because Andrea Levy is perhaps one of the most well-known Afro-authors and pioneers in the United Kingdom. However, this is an Afro-Caribbean epic about slavery and the struggle for abolition in Jamaica. Following a young slave woman named July, The Long Song weaves in and out of history telling a story that is at times engaging and suspenseful but at other times painfully slow moving. Honestly, I’m still trying to decide whether I will read her entire body of work this year as planned as I am not completely blown away this far. Stay tuned . . .
Filed under African Lit, Afro-European Lit, What We're Reading
What She’s Reading: The Granta Book of the African Short Story
It’s a cold and rainy Saturday evening – the perfect time to stay indoors, curl up with a book and a warm blanket and sip giant glass wine 🙂
This week I’m cracking open my newest buy: “The Granta Book of the African Short Story”. Edited by Helon Habila, a formidable writer in his own right, this collection includes anglophone, lusophone, and francophone authors. (One of my new year’s resolutions is to read more lusophone literature so I’m feeling a bit smug ;-p about getting off to a great start). Habila describes this project as a compilation of Africa’s “post national generation” writers and includes 29 authors from 19 countries. From Leila Aboulela to Zoe Wicomb, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Alex Guma, and from Moroco to Zimbabwe; this is quite a diverse anthology of literature from the continent.
I’ll return to this post at a later date to list my favorites. In the meantime, pick up a copy at your local bookstore or online at the Hueman Bookstore by following the link below
Filed under African Lit, What We're Reading
The Afro-Librarians 