Memoir

They should have just left us alone.
Like a cork floating in the ocean
But their ships, breaking the waves
dismantled our rafters
Bubbles that broke the surface of the ocean
had echoes of dying men-at least they died freemen
Who gave them the right?
Who thought it first
It was a conspiracy then actual theft
To sit at a table with bald heads
Glistening like light bulbs
And divide us amongst themselves
Like a birthday cake
someone blew the candles
Another said congratulations
Imagine that , they all shook hands
As if turning our ancestors
To sharecroppers was not enough
They were back again
Dissatisfied with cotton
The tried to make mud of our history
By imposing their culture on us
They destroyed kingdoms
And stole artefacts
Called our customs barbaric
manipulated our traditional institutions
And the trespass was given a sweet name
COLONIALISM