The Males Place

Not An

Alternative Option

Journey to ghana

GALA 2018

Sankofa Trip

2  0  1  7

Ritefully,

they emerge

in their moment

as descendants of 

before there ever was

a place, time or need

to proclaim themselves

THE alpha and omega

unchained, unstrung, uncuffed

in hose drenched shoes

souly purposed

to restore a nation

far removed

Instinctively,

they assemble

honorable husbands

fearless fathers framing families

for

our sons 

they gather

as our sacred story tellers,

who

chronicle a time when,

a time how

a time why

it’s the rite time now.

Arm in arm

branched in brotherhood

humbled by the privileged

power of prayer

They conclave like

shields of Ashanti strength

who

Panther pounce poverty

Shining

love in light

Statuesque

by ancestral architectural design

They convene

not in niggahdumb as cryptic cripples

or

bloodied tears dropped

systemically earmarked

for prison pipelines

by age 9

They find

themselves

Before beside

                     Behind

beneath

us

while on consequential watch

of

thought,

          words

                    and

                        character

as a manifestation of their destiny

concealed

in the center of our universe

They arrive

on time

Baba’s at the helm

of this transitional realm

driven by ujimaa

Elders worn weathered wise

But never weary only ready

To

Honor code

our young warriors

Pacing steady

storm in the

Mshauris on duty

a vision of Black beauty

They

speak what they believe

they must achieve

locked in love of self

growing, knowing, bestowing

enough to lead

the rest free..

The strongest of them

appear, reattached and atoned

Behold!

The ancestors rise as sankofa guides

Stokely, Malcolm, Marcus, Menelik, Madiba, Imhotep, Huey, Douglas, Turner, Tchaka, Carson, Clarke, Powell Ben

Amen Ase

Together

they

sojourn

eaching back to power forward

All fists suspended in ascension

a symbolic commitment

or innate resentment

of failure to return

In warrior spirit

They harvest and celebrate

blessings from god

drumming,

             dancing,

                         harmonizing,

                                            healing

in fellowship

Finally

revealing

all that it takes

to a community

that anticipates

those

who become men

at The Males Place