Inspired - Johanna Schouten-Elsenhout

Ancestors,

sing it to the priests

in the open yard

where you can see the diurnal serpent whirling around

with eyes full of sand

like the god of the Papa Negroes¹

in the sun of every day.

Raise the gods

in the sanctuary

on Surinamese soil.

Make the Kromanti² gods dance

to the heartbeat of the drum in

between all the ghosts.

Make sacrifices to the ground mother.

O divine eagle in me,

rise on your wings from the pool.

Time gasps at the open grave.

---

Johanna Schouten-Elsenhout (1910 - 1992) Suriname

Translated by Jan Voorhoeve

Source: working group on Caribbean literature

1. Papa negroes: negro tribe from Dahomé
2. Kromanti - one of the many Caribbean dialects, this one is an Akan variation