Best Cowrie Poems

"The 50 Move Rule"



Thomas Crown 
rolled his smile 
around her frown

Romance blew a warm breath
over her pristine cowrie shell
Voodoo Mojo Bag

There, 
just there, 
an Ocean made a Blue move

In the Red
Life
Black Black White

White White Black
Read,
A story to tell

White White Black 
Black Black White 
The 50...

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Written: June 23, 2023
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Bonds packed with zeros—harmony, grief, regrets,
In this endless cycle, memory no longer begets. 
Your poetry is a symphony that stirs my soul.
But also a river of nausea in which I swim, whole.

Lonesome, dispossessed, my being in unrest,
A fetish for the departed, my electrons...

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His skin is coated in red ocher,  
making it hard for his enemies  
to notice him midst termite mounds.  

He wears a headdress of cowrie shells  
and ostrich feathers, for his battle  
is a special day like weddings  
and...

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When
'The Arrow Of God' is
'No Longer At Ease'
'Things Fall Apart'
'The Voice' of
'The Enemy Within' 
'Whispers At Dawn' saying
'Weep Not Child' as
'The House Boy' named
'Maru' looks at
'The Sterile Sky' and
'The People Of The City' run after
'Samankwe And The Highway Robbers' up to
The Juju Rock
Where lived
'The Black...

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His skin is coated in red ocher,  
making it hard for his enemies  
to notice him midst termite mounds.  

He wears a headdress of cowrie shells  
and ostrich feathers, for his battle  
is a special day like weddings  
and...

Continue reading...

When
The Arrow Of God is
No Longer At Ease
Things Fall Apart
The Voice of
The Enemy Within 
Whispers At Dawn saying
Weep Not Child as
The House Boy named
Maru looks at
The Sterile Sky and
The People Of The City run after
Samankwe And The Highway Robbers up to
The Juju Rock
Where lived
The Black...

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The strange men made strange fruits 

Point.
	
Strange 
Strange fruits
fruits and Men 
the difference only in color 
Multiply the hate. divided. but blood is same 
Between strange fruits and strange men, what is with us and those Different. 


Strange

Strange 
Creators
Strange men 
Men had God 
Fruits had...

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How beautiful is she!

Her teeth are white,
sparkling in the Sun
as she expresses her joy
in her heart with a beautiful smile

Her eyes are as enchanting
as no story that has ever been written
or a painting that has ever been drawn

Here long, black hair
is decorated by cowrie shells
and...

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Nine rivers you swam
Bang, into the marathon
Now six rivers you row
Into the eternal riddle.
Thunder frog-jumps out of mouths
Rain splutters from pale sockets

...yestersay.
Now I adjust my backpack
In memory's frigate.
I try to smile
For I am not alone-nor ever will be-
You answer me in the tree-tops
And in the...

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The little kitten pawed at the ground
Dug out the earth
The way its mama taught it
Then it squatted
And as though recalling something
Looked around
To ensure no eyes were watching

Its eyes met mine-
His, cowrie shaped and green
Mine, big, brown and curious-
And wide eyed
Perhaps horrified
It jumped away
And went round...

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Before They Came

Sitting here with my daughter between my knees, I braid her hair; One by one I place the lucky cowrie shells in her hair. I hear the call and response in my village. The roll was being called. This gathering was different, “the...

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They tell me I love you.
They say that when I laugh with you;
my eyes shine like cowrie shells in shrines,
my cheeks dimple in gaiety,
my pulse thumps rapidly like the drumbeats of the gods.

They tell me I love you.
They say that my legs tremble like a...

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Idol is there seated plotting
cowrie shells baptized dollars
cow-hide suffocated with air
comfort women in their best
Cambridge fraternity with honors
commander with his platoons
sky-men in their spaceships
class room wizards with sleepy eye
Champagne , coca cola, carrots

These are the dying gods
that relax on high thrones
intoxicate conscience
roll away the Bible,...

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I feel the hand of the invisible smothering my skin
The rule Maker up in the sky 
Lull my heart of a better tomorrow
With a make-belief smile i retorted 
But the departure of grandpa
In September drained me
If my head is sitting well on my neck
And if...

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Head honcho, forever bristling
Bleached exterior, this mask of 
countenance
Princey, let me kiss you, my liege
We are only Men in Black -
Chieftain for the cause
Priest of neoclassism
Maestro of Propriety
You are.

He stamps and huff - truth or 
farce?
This I do not know - I heard
Still the serprent,...

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