The actions of this story took place on Easter of 1988. I was attending The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. My oldest brother Tony, his wife and his one-year-old son, John, lived in Columbus and I had caught a ride with them to our parents’ home for the Holiday. All of my siblings, their significant others and their children were going to be at my household to celebrate the festivity. My oldest brother, Tony, is...
once my belly was as full as the moon, till God scowled upon my boy and made him die; now we are afraid to speak to one another, you and I, lest we bring him back to us.
"Woman want baby. Woman want JuJu.” “What?” “JuJu. It’s magic. African magic, white or black.” “I don’t want black magic, Tutu.” Tutu smiled. “Here,” she said. “Have this.” Tutu gave me a tiny carved figurine; she explained how the women of Ghana use ones just like it to help with fertility. They carry their wooden doll at all times, usually hidden under clothing so only a spirit's eyes can see it. Then hopefully, an anci...
I had decided to visit Shanghai with the flurry of movement that invaded the city at that point in time after the war. This decision I took for my interest in the city, but mainly because of my subconscious desire to escape mounting debts, and an unrequited love back home in Marseilles. I took up a low, unglamorous room in the French quarter of the city, hardly surrounded by friends- but at least people living on the same...
As little girls we are given pretty little dolls to play with in order to nurture our natural motherly instincts. Sometimes the dolls would cry, perhaps even wee their tiny plastic diapers. We would nurse them with bottles that magically refilled themselves, feed them with plastic food that never had to be prepared, and bathe them without fuss. Best of all, when we were tired of playing Mommy, we simply put baby down for...
The trees hated to think of wicked little babiesAs they wonder along the lonely harborsbut if they had some ice cold meats, then maybethey would rather ponder barbers."Listen to their mumbles, crawling through the air!"The tiny shrub did shout in pride,"Why we must riot and shave off their hair.and don't forget their ugly hide."The lover in the sea was sleeping in a trancewhen by chance did he hear such a plan.and danced...
