MPUMI CILIBE

1

What heart so cruel
With lavatorial words so few
Can injure even strangers
By proclamations sharp as daggers:
“All black men are gay!”

“A million monkey march!”

mine was hurt so deep 
those words to this day ring
fire and feed this heart
with hatred only God can cleanse.

“Fucking Christian racist!”

“Brother, he can’t be Christian.
Don’t let him work you up so,
He’s only ill.” So went reason
Calming passionate fury and emotion
And this heart brimmed with pride.

When fear grips heart and mind
She pumps fountains of hate.

“Brother,... he’s only ill”.

How sweet the song soothingly sung
On wood laminate
Separating porcelain from porcelain
Thousands of miles away.

2

Thousands of miles
Centuries away
And oceans of hate
Overflow to this day.

Oh, how our blackness is made
To weigh heavily upon us
Like a crucifix.

Ah, hatred
What seek you in human hearts?
Do lions really prey on buck
Because of different hides?

3

Insults thunderous rain;
Hate stares
Gay I am not:
A monkey, certainly not.

Yes, you were ripped off Africa’s womb
And hurled headlong into misery:
A human by other humans: no monkey.
And their America is a Christian country.

4

Brother, I was there
Like a fly on a wall
Watching your anguished
Admonishing ebony countenance
I was anguished too, and pained.

Like a green fly
I witness the stewing rot.
I longed to lift you on my wings
And fly you home
Where you once belonged:
To cocoon you in clean cotton wads.
Handle you with care
For you are precious to me.

Your haters don’t know.
Will never know
How much you mean to me.
They must let you go,
Set you free for God so wills
Bondage must be no more.