Dear Mother

Kinky hair, hips that sway
We create colorful midnights
And African heat
Singing praises to Mulungu and Nyambe
To Allah and to God
With Our Yellow, Brown, Blue-black hands
Outstretched to skies that my mother bore
Dealt the labor pains of humanity
And now we dare speak of reparations
Of oceans, and wind, and earth, and beauty
I let you love me with lies that I believed
Promising forever like it was yours to keep
But maybe our love is only temporary
Too soon replaced with famine and mosquitoes and Blood Diamonds
With slavery and genocide and war and AIDS
Or maybe our love isn't love at all
Dear mother, Do you love me?