Nostalgia

I used to be a little African girl,
happy, confused and without a sweet tooth
Now, I am a grown Londoner, African still
but I was yanked into womanhood
by tobacco smoke
men who wanted to be freaked
and women who thought they were unique
Red light districts that prompted
'whys' and 'maybe(s)'
I grew to the sound of cries
ephemeral joy, a fodness for mechanical toys
and curiosity about non tow headed boys
Sprouted to drums of Fela

I grew to soon.