Africa

Have you ever felt the sticky African breeze
stroke the back of your neck like a gentle old friend?
Have you ever sat awake through the cool night
wrapped in a Maasai blanket
to watch the sun rise above Kilimanjaro, feeling as though
you must be the first human to ever witness such a sight?
Have you ever had your breath taken away
by the people, the sights, the smells, or the herd of zebra
who surrounded you?
Marafiki, have you ever been to Africa?

When my feet step off the plane
and I finally return home to Canadian soil,
my skin is still pale, white, and freckled
but somehow I know
my heart and soul will now be
forever African.