The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni Africa II africa is a young man bathing in the back of a prison fortress the guide said “are you afro-american cape coast castle holds a lot for your people”
and the 18th century clock keeps perfect time for the time it has i watched his black skin turn foaming white and wanted to see this magnificent man stand naked and clean before me but they called me to the dungeons where above the christian church an african stood listening for sounds of revolt the lock the guide stated indicated a major once ran the fort and the british he said had recently demanded the lock’s return and i wanted the lock maybe for a door stop to unstop the 18th century clock “and there is one African buried here we are proud of him”