Broken Umbilical Cord

the umbilical cord is severed
the time of our birth
defined our death
to gain our legs
we sold our minds
to gain our eyes
we slaughtered our souls
on the path to emptiness
we silently strolled
tied to their umbilical cord

to keep the roots
we cut the tree into logs
to keep the fruits
we dug out the roots
but our brothers called home
in search of our god
in search of our way
but there’s no way
except our adopted way

so to smile in exile
they changed their names
from John to Kamau
Peter to Asante
they went back to the root
we who have gained unqualified knowledge
laughed at them
with borrowed mouths and cheeks
but they began to laugh
from within the core of their being
from within their very selves

they came for their cheeks
and their mouths
and their minds
leaving us with our realities
we are only remote-controlled puppets
without self