They Came Tonight - Léon Damas

They came the night the
tom
tom
spun from
rhythm
to
rhythm
frenzy
of eyes
the frenzy of hands
the frenzy
of the feet of statues
SINCE
how many of ME ME ME
are dead
since they came that night when the
tom
tom
spun from
rhythm
to
rhythm
frenzy
of eyes
frenzy
of hands
frenzy
of the feet of statues

for Léopold-Sedar Senghor

---

Léon Damas (1912 - 1978) French Guiana
Translated by William Seaton
Source: Poetry on the Loose (Willam Seaton's blog)