THROUGH THE EYES OF
THE GUINEAN
Spain is Africa’s
gateway to Europe,
as seen through the
eyes of the Guinean.
The unknown road to
markets contemplated
and forever
imagined. What particular
reality lies on the
nation’s shores:
soft sand, white
like dust, or, black sand,
coarse with rocks?
Promises of
opportunity and new beginnings
make bearable the
unknown. The particulars
of a new voyage are footnotes
to a grinding
thesis. Rebirth is a
luxury afforded to the
daring. Leaving for
foreign shores, a detail,
heavy with new
meaning –
a family who is never forgotten.Here I attempt to depict Spain as a "gateway" to "unknown roads" - to "opportunity", "new beginnings" and possibly even "rebirth". Clearly, "the Guinean" sees moving to Spain as the bridge to prosperity, but he/she has reservations about "the unknown". He/she is guided by the compass of making a better future for his/her family.
The story behind this particular poem begins with a friend of mine, whom I met while I was studying abroad in Spain at the turn of the millennium, Samba. He was one of many West Africans who I met while in Spain. Their stories were similar. Each of them arrived in Spain with high hopes--those of going to school or landing a decent job in order to earn money to send back to their families. Saving enough meant sending their mothers to Mecca or building homes for their loved-ones. And they did. As I would come to learn, the obstacles many of them had to overcome to travel to Europe were quite surprising and quite humbling.
My friend, Samba, had a wide network of Guinean friends who would come together in Madrid for meals and to support each other's endeavors. They came from all walks of life and had diverse stories to tell. They often spoke in their native dialect, Fula, among each other, but, occasionally, in my presence, they spoke Spanish, so that I could understand and participate in conversations.
I learned a lot from this group and have many other stories to tell about them. The thought of my time with them warms my heart. Their hospitality and generosity remain with me.
If you haven't already, pick up a copy of A Poet Speaks of Empire to learn more about what this network of individuals meant to me. You'll meet Samba, for the first time, in the introduction to the book.
