SURPRISES

The endless
doubt escapes
and darkness turns
to daylight

The deepest fear
of tomorrow
now walks in naked light

And they hide
their faces
in violet sheds of tears

Now their daughters
like Cinderellas pirouettes
and twirls their tulle “Kaba” skirts
asking for the needles they cursed
in the dark

They want the aroma
of clean sheets, to dine with fork
and knife just milliseconds
before they sleep

Surprises,
they forgot their constant doubts of yesterday
they forgot their deepest fears
of tomorrow when the journey began
they forgot they left the boat in the storm

(Padmore Agbemabiese, Cleveland, 12/21/2013)