gods and spirits are summoned through the portal divine
Ian Gregory Strachan
for Gus and Vola
kadak doong doong
kadak doong doong
kadak doong doong
kakkadak doong doong
this is how the drum speaks
kadak doong doong
kadak doong doong
kadak doong doong
kakkadak doong doong
this is how the eyes begin
their easy retreat into the skull
how the muscles tighten and then relax
how the joints prepare themselves
for their starry passengers
kadak doong doong dak dak doong doong
kadak doong doong dak dak doong doong
kadak doong doong dak dak doong doong
this how the feet repeat the secret steps
how they mark out upon the highways
of the dead and unborn the combination
that unlocks the portal of the gods
doong doong dak dak doong doong
doong doong dak dak doong doong
doong doong dak dak doong doong
kakalak doong doong dak dak doong doong
this is the sound that flings the graves open
that summons the hung, whipped, raped and drowned
to fete on the heads of their living descendants
kadak doong doong dak doong
kadak doong doong dak doong
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
this is how the gods are remembered
jesus is not one them
paaa peeee pa-pa-pa-peeeee
spirit children laugh and run in the streets
they race and play, ricocheting rainbows
shango donates lightning
ogun spreads fire
eshu tells tales
paaa peeee pa-pa-pa-peeeee
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
isn’t that the sound of the ship’s hold slamming shut?
isn’t that the sound of the lights going out?
isn’t that the sound of the casket closing?
isn’t that the sound of the canons at the slave fort
in Guinea?
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
isn’t that the sound of the slaves banging on the
hold’s door?
isn’t that the sound of the slaves banging on the
massa’s door?
isn’t that the sound of the spirits being roused?
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
of the warriors being called
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
of the backras takin blows
paaa peeee pa-pa-pa-peeeee
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
paaa peeee pa-pa-pa-peeeee
the women laugh and show their motion
the potcake platoons march past
the spirit children ripple rainbows
laughing at eshu’s riddles
kadak
doong doong
dak
doong
da-na-na-na-na-naa-na
na naa na-na-na
“DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOZZZHHHH!”
da na na naaaa na
na na na na na
dan na na na na naaaaaaaa
dan na naaaaaaa
um um-um
. . .gone, like shadows
Copyright © Ian Gregory Strachan