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Sum of Me: Un Poku di Tude

You ask about me and my people. Me?

You can say as has been said and read in famous poetry:

"I am a part of all I have met." [Tennyson] My people? Who

do you mean? Descendants of

The People who

were forcibly brought by sea from coastal Africa

to Cape Verde as slaves when the islands were

green,

unknown to most of humankind?

Or from enslaving, colonizing Portugal,

or from Moorish Arabia, or Judea,

or all the world's ports-of-call?

Who?

Maybe someone a lot like you?

They are all parts of me and I am part of them,

too.

(Un Poku di Tude)

The People who

make my folk music, my sea-blue mornas,

my jazz, my gospel, my world music, and pop,

too?

Singers, musicians, music lovers of every hue?

Maybe someone like you?

They are parts of me and I am a part of them,

too.

(Un Poku di Tude)

The People who

keep on going no matter what, make do

and do without? Church-going

people who

"make a joyful noise until The Lord" on Sundays

with a gospel shout and holler out "Amen!"?

Maybe, my friend, someone somewhat like you.

The People

who, like most, before they stand and sing

hymns to Him under their church steeple

Sunday mornings, just might like some loving

deep into Saturday night.

Oh, yes, I am one of them and they are one in

me, too.

(Un Poku di Tude)

My people? Do you mean family? We

who were or are a sister or brother,

a beloved father or mother? Or one of

our many Manny's or other cousins

by the dozens? We are one

another most particularly.

The People who

like blue, as I do, or red.

or green, or whatever? People

who like summer warmth and fair weather? Who

do you mean? Do you mean to exclude or include? I

haven't a clue.

All I know is nos crioulos [we Creoles]

are ALL that and much more,

too.

(Un Poku di Tude)