Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections

The Words of the New American

I walk down the street in my flowing Ghanaian print dress. I am on my way to my favorite Ethiopian café to journal about my swearing-in ceremony. I am sentimental. I want to shout out, and then grin broadly while I tell everyone I meet, "I am a US citizen now." I smile broadly at … Continue reading The Words of the New American

Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections, Social Commentary

Paranoia

The moments immediately following a violation of any sort are the most crucial. The survivor goes through a series of emotions rather rapidly. Time feels arrested. Shock and disbelief turn into re-winding and analyzing which lead to anger, which is then served to self and to anyone who dares present a lecture on ways to be safe. All these emotions come careening into a hangar called paranoia. Paranoia has the ability to seep into core places in the survivor's life and set up shop for long-term operations; if not checked quickly, it has the potential to consume the whole fleet.

Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections

Kashka & Kuukua: A Celebration of Friendship & Love

Earlier on today I wrote My usual attempt To order my world Make sense of chaos As I wrote I thought This relationship of ours has Grown Progressed Morphed **** From the days We just said "Hello" And went on campus ministry trips To spending time at that "Dominican Connection" retreat with mutual friend, KR … Continue reading Kashka & Kuukua: A Celebration of Friendship & Love

Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections, writing prompt

A Throwback to my first AWP

AWP: Writing and Remembering in Washington, D.C. By KUUKUA YOMEKPE, MFA student in the Writing and Consciousness MFA program This post was written as an assignment for Professor Cindy Shearer’s Aesthetics of Value course. In Aesthetics of Value, students explore their arts heritage and inquire into the values that guide their creative work. I didn’t expect the Association … Continue reading A Throwback to my first AWP

Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections

My Inheritance

Faces      Blacked out with a Sharpie Heads      Cut out of photos Entire albums shredded      For the sake of eliminating one Faces and heads shriveled as they      Danced in the flames Phone numbers deleted      In case of a misdial Fingers re-programmed      Lest they dial … Continue reading My Inheritance