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Kalamu ya Salaam's information blog

 

photo by Alex Lear

photo by Alex Lear

 

 

 

I Am A Citizen
In The Country Of Your Smile

 

 

I was looking for myself, confused 

By the store-bought maps

None of which led directly to me

All the interstates had curious detours

Some straight through your heart

 

One or two were back roads

Small moments—no, not mini-malls

But one room country stores

Everything from chicken feed to calico cloth

Candy and pickled pig feet in big glass jars,

A catalogue for ordering from elsewhere

 

I lay listening to your breathing

My head between your breasts

My lips longing to suck your relaxed nipples

To erectness, that taste moving my tongue

 

My hands exploring everywhere

An amateur urban planner mapping layouts

For a futuristic city of light and love

 

You open your thighs and say you need beaches

On the borders and kisses in the nether regions

Plus, you tell me: “you must volunteer to share 

All chores, soap and water have no gender

Brooms nor mops have genitals

And if you don’t want to, I don’t want you to

We can agree to disagree but fighting is forbidden

There may be war in the world 

But there will be peace in this village

 

Think about who I am 

Before you say what you want us to be”

 

I paused, I listened, I surrendered

Happy with the terms of agreement

I sincerely pledged allegiance

 

—kalamu ya salaam