From yesterday to tomorrow
My natural, spontaneous or invented, recreated Loves,
For, before all else,
We must first learn to create Love
For all my Friends in Madness, born that way or rendered mad
My Master Injectors of anguish,
For, before any wisdom gained,
We must all experience madness
To all my grandchildren, all the Yi in my Village
Who will never cease seeking the Ki
I dedicate what follows here. . . .
So, trying to pretend with eyebrows arched
That they were keeping calm
Each one wondered privately
What was coming next. And what is actually coming next?
Hey! I muttered behind their back
What is next is a novel, of course, you silly fools!
That is to say, fabrications or stories
But intensely lived or to be lived
If only in the imagination of the tale of love
Hey, hey, hey, that was your Grandmama!!!
—Werewere-Liking Gnepo