A Spirit Song for Ali Farka Toure 1939-2006

Where is the beautiful voice and string
Harmonized with the kora tonight
“Baba where have you gone?”

To Bamako?
To the South?

No my brothers, no my sisters
Do not cry
I am everywhere
Here in Niafunke

The hippopotamus of
The young Bantu is yawning
He left it alone to seek you

The watch monkey stopped tossing his limes
Seize to stand guard saying,
“Where have you gone Baba?”

Kinshasa
Abidjan, Dakar
Conakry?

No my brothers no my sisters
Do not cry I am everywhere
Here in Niafunke

In Paris, Henri at Tessa’s turned off the futbol
We turned down the merengue
To hear you, “Where have you gone?”

To New York, Havana
London, Chicago?
To Diabate’s, The Studio?

In Giza the oil vender has closed the shop
To offer you a cup of cooled cane
Many have brought the camels in early
They are trying to understand

“Where have you gone?”

No my brothers no my sisters do not cry
I am everywhere
Here in Niafunke