on freedom & suffering

to own nothing is to be free

or so its said suffering is caused by

want they say small footprints with

no sign of your passing they say

i say sing loudly

want things

own your want

your sorrow your joy

the sublimity of you

come to leave signs of your passing

to build on is or remake it into some other

image own your hunger

use it to propel you

own your need for growth

may it inspire growth

lean towards the stars

want them to shine for you

find a moral compass and own it

let your true north be

the calling card you are remembered for

be remembered

feathers or mount thai

i pick mount thai

i want things

children fed

roots

clear water

turquoise sky

full moons & trees that want to talk

to God the happy ending the brave beginning

to know the texture of things

growing in the dark

i own things

deep abiding blues

clever inverted jazz

melting & reassembling

my mothers hands

my great grand mothers grit

an ocean deep love for

my people

dancing on the side of the road

waiting for doors to open

i want to be amplified

duplicated

repeated

to live forever

big steps out of the ocean

big steps out of the paradigm

big steps footprints & maps

i am standing on the

wisdom of the greatyards

full of spirit knowledge

listening to the dead speak

generations follow

someone must remember

someone must lead

some are born to follow

the path must be tended

i suffer the clearing of the path

i own that

i want that for others

so i am not free

i am a servant

joyful & resolute

mapmaker

callused hands bent back failing sight

seeing beyond this place

knowing somethings are said

because we accept being powerless

to avoid the use of power

afraid of back burns set ups falling dying in a trench

alone while the world rolls on

the carnival opens

bar b que parties are thrown

& no one knows you are gone

power is tricky its like fire

it can fix it or break it forever

i want some things broken

i need some things fixed

i got wants & needs

i own that

so i am not free

& i suffer

About Ayodele Nzinga, MFA, PhD

I create; therefore I am.
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