On the shore of Gorée Island

in the fullness of our mother's tongue

We spoke our names

the way the mothers

before her

whispered it

in nightly prayers

Daughter of Susie Lynn called Little, named after her mother Susie Lee, and her mother's

name lost Ashe, and her mother's name lost Ashe**

echoing

through the stillness

Syllables

We used to recoil

pressed our accents down

The way we begged the kinks in our hair

to fall flat monotone

Now, we savored each sound

that fell from the tip of our tongue

to our lips

spicy, sweet like kelewele

Call us daughter

Call us by name

Call us daughter

Call us by name***