​You first came to me in the form of fabric
Ankara cut to such perfection that it caught my eye.
And then I heard you laugh,
A rhythm so catchy I couldn’t help but dance.

​You came to me through friends who became sisters
​Who shared themselves so freely and so potently
That I took you on —
— and almost forgot myself.

Our first kiss was laced with shito
A familiar smokiness that never left my mouth
My tongue aflame
Literally,
And with curiosity

But you see, I had always known of you:
History tells me our forefathers were friends
That legacy is how I walked freely into your house,
My name already on the guest list.

Thank you
For showing me
A good time,
But I hear them calling my name at home.

Love,

A Tanzanian Citizen Who Once Had a Ghanaian Surname.

(c) Sylvia Ilahuka 2018