Influence Stories

The other day I was doing some work in the kitchen, fixing up the caulking behind the sink. As I often do when I’m doing stuff in that room, I put the radio on to CBC Radio 2. It being a Saturday afternoon, opera poured out into the room. I don’t even know when Saturday Afternoon at the Opera began, but it’s been a fixture on the CBC for, it seems, forever. Inevitably, my thoughts turned to Dad. Inevitably because he list...

Nsansa was right when he said I would be blamed for Uliya’s death. The young blossoming and fertile second wife of my husband had succumbed to a mysterious fatality, and I was the only witness.  A hundred villagers surrounded us as we sat on the ground. Uliya’s mother wept violently on my far right, and four elders sat in front of us.  As I expected, my husband passionately vouched for me. His sister-in-law Tashani spoke...

Did I ever tell you how much I adore your mind, dear friend? A shard of cutting brilliance and delight It inspires me to be more than I am A dance between the two of us – one leading then the other Not a waltz, more a Charleston Maybe modern dance, perhaps?Did I ever tell you how much I adore your heart, my mother? Full of compassion and caring It inspires me to be more like you Look how you took us all on, even my cousin...