Congo, seen from heaven

 

for Kavira, 

(the first Congolese to board a space shuttle is a rat) 

i unfold 
saliva teeth 

gnaw at their flag’s skin 
floss with the fat 

i swelter 
rabies, love 

homeland’s got no food 
yet, i fly 

i devour 
the sky 

from the troposphere, 
every human is a rodent 

i rat 
pray 

for my freedom warriors 
more bone than muscle 

i ascend, 
poverty’s defiance 

already, love, 
i split the sky.

Gracia Mwamba

Gracia "Cianga" Mwamba (she/they) is a Congolese artist based in California, by way of South Africa. She was a semifinalist for the 2021 Cave Canem Poetry Prize and NFSPS Board Award. She has also received fellowships from UC Berkeley's Arts and Research Center, Brooklyn Poets and a residency from Atlantic Center for the Arts. Gracia's intidisciplinary art practice is grounded in exploring black art as radical joy and critical protest.

While preparing her debut collection, her work can be found in Rappahannock Review, Berkeley Fiction Review and website (cianga.com). When not creating art, Gracia can be found streaming on Twitch, reading or consuming questionable amounts of chocolate.

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