Belize City, Gee’s Bend
Crown Heights, Brixton
South Durban, Elmina
Old Harbor, Olinda

I
It all started one misty morning
The fog fell without a warning
I tried to find my way back home
everywhere I turned was wrong
I went west on a country road
The days were hot, the nights were cold
When it dawned on me how far id gone
her voice said hello my son
I shrugged it off, I moved on

My shoes were worn, my clothes were tattered
Space and time had ceased to matter
I didn’t even know my name
How long I’d lived, from where I came
Sitting alone under desert sun
I made my peace with the scavengers, I was done
Then out of nowhere pouring rain
Her voice said son let’s try again
She knelt beside me and held my hand

I could hear the Mammi Watta in the dessert
Her voice was sweetly calling in the desert
She cooled my soul
When she spoke
She said tell my children they are not alone
I heard Mammi Watta calling me
The sound of water sprinkling through the leaves
She showed me when
She showed me where
She said if my children call me I’ll be there
My waves are growing stronger, be prepared
Yeah

II
Since that day I’ve roamed this world
In search of those who search for her
San Pedro, Ganvie
Cuajinicuilapa, Mobile Bay
Back and forth on the ocean roads
It never fails, each place I go
Her darkest children live in shame
Taught to fear their mothers names

But I heard Mammi Watta in the dessert
Her voice was angry calling in the desert
She chilled my soul
When she spoke
She said tell my children they’ve left me alone
I heard Mammi Watta calling me
The sound of thunder wrestling with the sea
She showed me kin
And healed me where
they’d held me down and strapped me to a chair
her waves are growing stronger, I’m prepared
Yeah

Convicted, then committed
I chose violence at first
black and white shots burst
Faith a gift and a curse
fresh convert preaching tweaking off a new birth
Saturday visits
Deep in my cells we conversed
She said I nursed this earth
You inconsiderate jerk
There’s really nothing worse than you confusing my worth
With your turf or the tricks that you hide in your purse
So observe
How you thirst for what made you emerge
The beat
multiversal pulse, shaken and stirred
I listened
Her words tapped everywhere that I hurt
Lying there above the dirt
Steel and concrete slab
Guard walked past
Her hands took mine
And we laughed

I could hear the Mammi Watta in the dessert
Her voice was sweetly calling in the desert
She healed my soul
When she spoke
She said even in the hole you’re not alone
I heard Mammi Watta calling me
The sound of glaciers melting in the sea
She showed me when
She showed me where
She said you can always call me when you’re scared
My waves are growing stronger, still I’m there
Yeah

(Mammi said)
Don’t promise more than you do
All you gotta bring is you
Ease your back into it
Ease your back into it

(What Mammi said?)
Don’t promise more than you do
All you gotta bring is you
Focus on the music
Don’t you rush into it

(What Mammi said?)
Don’t promise more than you do
All you gotta bring is you
Ease your back into it
Yeah
Ease your back into it
Yeah
Ease your back in
Yeah
Ease your back
Yeah
Ease your
Yeah
Ease
Yeah
Ease

Belize City, Gee’s Bend
Crown Heights, Brixton
South Durban, Elmina
Old Harbor, Olinda

Vocal harmonizing