African Voices Spring 2020 AVSPRING2020 | Page 31

when the ground moves to speak
takes back her name and
conceals it in forever of her

consecrated space ‘cause some of you

have forgotten

how to spell
will you search for the memory of her movement
seek her out and change your name or

invoke her e

vapor

ation into

one of time’s
many forgotten tombs for strangers to seek / find /

touch and know that
she
is
treasure
when the ground moves and speaks
it will be to rescue herself ‘cause

some of you have

unremembered

her syllables
and some of you
have forgotten how
to
say
her

name to

say her name / to say her name 
when the ground moves to speak
to rescue herself
will any of you
understand

I am an endangered species

but I sing no victim songs

I am a woman/I am an artist

and I know where my soul belongs

yes I know where my heart belongs
oh I know
where my voice
belongs
*Dianne Reeves - Endangered Species
© 1999, a. wanjiku h. reynolds
african Voices
31