The Journey Home
by
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VILLAGE MOTHER IV Calluses, calabash-big, are on my feet. Sugar in my veins sweetens my life. Salt preserves my flesh in this unrefrigerated land. I am woman Woe I am. I'se woman. I know your game is gum-tied in shards of memory. The few words I remember will not re-create gods, unknown and unworshipped. O sikia mimi, Ogun. O sikia mimi, Shango Damballa loa Obatala O O loa, o gun, o Lord I come. Boy, din I sen' yuh to school fuh learn book and speak proper. I 'pect fuh hear good grammar.
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About the Book
In this mythical-poetic collection of verse, seasoned poet Horace Goddard shares vivid imagery and energetic language as he offers a bold, refreshing, yet introspective glimpse into an African Caribbean man’s search for a home in the diaspora.
As migratory man travels from place to place and establishes ties to the land, he nurtures a perpetual yearning for the land of his origin and often wonders, “Where is home and how will I get there?” In this new collection of poems, often penned in fable-like style, Goddard questions what home means, what culture means when a person is transplanted, and what race means in a country that is predominantly black or white.
As Goddard offers a memorable lyrical journey from Africa to the Caribbean and finally to Canada, his poetry invokes emotions and nostalgia as he explores the differences in cultures and details his experiences as a traveler. It is through this celebrated poet’s eyes that many will truly understand what it is like to journey home.
About the Author
Horace Goddard was born in Barbados and currently lives in Canada, where he writes poetry full-time. He is the author of eight books, several of which are poetry collections.