wandering here in this dark
where it eating up the light
(for Ralph Ellison)

i hear no words
but these that mine
mouths open they wide
they make no sound
where my hands is they bound
i cannot find
in the bottles and cans
throwd here on the ground 

who’s in this bag
what i totes for me
how come me when they cut
they always see
something bleeding in here
that it never is me
aint i this shadow i supposed to be
dear god can you ever gone deliver me!
from inside here
where i’m supposed to be

Copyright © 1995 Asili Ya Nadhiri