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MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE
 
​1619
THE GOOD SHIP


By Michael Simanga
​
Cross and ocean
In the belly of Jesus
 
Restricted motion
In the belly of Jesus
 
No place to run
In the belly of Jesus
 
No African sun
In the belly of Jesus
 
We hear our breath
In the belly of Jesus
 
We smell our sweat
In the belly of Jesus
 
taste our tears
In the belly of Jesus
 
Wrestle with fear
In the belly of Jesus
 
Search for light
In the belly of Jesus
 
We have to fight
In the belly of Jesus
 
Hide your name
In the belly of Jesus
 
Cloak your pain
In the belly of Jesus
 
see your stripes
In the belly of Jesus
Cling to life
In the belly of Jesus
 
Blood on the floor
In the belly of Jesus
 
Spit on the shore
From the belly of Jesus
​



  • HOME ISSUE #3
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY AND PROSE
  • BLACK MUSIC PHOTO ESSAY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • VISUAL ART GALLERY
  • BIOGRAPHIES
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • Support Merge Literary Magazine
  • ISSUE #2 CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
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  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • Multimedia Art Review
  • PHOTOGRAPHY CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
  • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • ISSUE #1 POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
    • Mission and Content
    • About US
    • POETRY
    • PROSE
    • ART ILLUSTRATION
    • ESSAYS AND PLAY
    • MULTI-MEDIA QUILT REVIEW
    • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
    • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
    • Support Merge Literary Magazine