The Invitation

You have checked in at the crossroads

Where hearts are poured out like wine

For the thirsty for laughter from the throats

And for the dancing of minds of the wise

Come… come… come and drink of this wine

And sign up for attendance at the meeting

This is Matagelema

This is Rogbane

This is the dream of the dreamers

Standing on battered and bleeding feet

Crawling on hardened knees and hands

Collecting whispers that holler in hearts

Whispers that announce the meeting of minds

Come… come from the cardinal points

And pass your whisper to ears on hearts

The stars are rising out of the ground

And the great Atlantic Ocean

Made great by the Africans that bought it with their bones and blood

We are heaven-bound above the sky

The grass in the sky is growing on our ground

So we can wipe our feet on grass from the sky

Here we kick open the drum of water

And it rains on them below—around the altar

Here families are promoted

Above non-families so noted

Here there are no photographers

Because the angels are better diggers

Of girls that can slip into any camera

For wringing wrong pictures

Come… our story has changed

Come… our names have changed

Come… come and rise with us

Come… come and dine with us

Come… come and dream with us

Come… come… come…