ECHOES
©Khuumba Ama, April 2004
Written in the city of Dakar, Senegal, West Africa
All rights reserved.

Echoes whisper through drought resistance bushes
Telling stories of their wishes 

Inviting me in the open gate
To reveal the truth about their fate 

To Our Daughter, welcome home
Around the village you must roam 

Although the path may dust your feet
Your family tree you must meet 

There are no leaves for the sun to heat
But the fruits are there for you to eat 

In the trunk that is hollow
The royal griots souls were swallowed 

Awaiting the time to be set free
From the belly of the Bao Bab Tree 

Echoes whisper, call my name
Saying, there is no one for you to blame 

Open you mind and set it free…..
This is how is was meant to be 

The open “Door of No Return”
Was put there for you to learn 

So put love there instead of sorrow
Then create a better tomorrow 

Tell the people what they must do
Know that many won’t listen to you 

But those that do must make plans
To spread the word throughout the lands

Tell them to let go of all the hate they’ve grown to know
Because it makes them work too slow 

Take their hearts and set it free
Because they must now work with speed 

So, again Daughter, welcome home
Tell them all they need to know 

Echoes, Echoes whisper to me
From the belly of the Bao Bab Tree