Iyá orisha alá iwó é

The following poem was inspired by the exposition "Held Hostage by the Sea" by R.G. Serrano presented at Miami Dade College Hialeah Campus on Oct. 20, 2017.

I cry in your name
Have mercy Ochun
Let the winds be gone
Let the waves away go

Dressed in yellow I dance
With honey, pumpkins and a sunflower
To you I sing with rhythm
My desire for freedom


Clean me from all harm
Join me through this voyage
To unknown lands
Pour your blessing into my hands


I embellish you with my devotion
For you are my everlasting hope
Ashe Ochun in this bembé
Iyá orisha alá iwó é



Ochun: Yoruba religion entity related to the Holy Mother
Iyá orisha alá iwó é: "Holy mother, cover me with your shawl"
bembé: a religious celebration
ashe: expression to invoke an entity