photo by Gason Ayisyin

Soon One Morning, I’ll Fly Away

Where does heart rest, breath originate

where is buried afterbirth, what world is flavored

with the sweetness of mother milk, spiced by a jigger

of father essence unmercifully purifying, trellissed

by the communal touch of kind and kin heat tough 

as the sun spear of cloudless august noon

While we trod life’s tribulation bridge and seek to craft 

some small sweet space from the loam of this bitter earth

whether in shit storm or sun shade there is but one certain

fuel to animate our keeping on, and that be our deep

belief tear-crystal clear, regardless of which exploiter

we labor beneath, the end of our existence is that we black

Weary travelers, being not from here, must death rise & return 

to the spirit space wherein we dwelled before we were birthed

—kalamu ya salaam

——————————  

Kalamu ya Salaam – vocals

Stephan Richter – clarinet

Wolfi Schlick – reeds

Frank Bruckner – guitar

Roland HH Biswurm – drums

Recorded: May 31, 1998 – Munich, Germany