Mondo's ninety year-old mother is the subject of the most poignant poem in the book. 'Maito, Walking With Me All This Time'. The poem speaks of a mother's love and loyalty while the poet "continue paying on a debt that I did not owe." The "sure caress of a mother's love" was there to comfort while "passing through dark halls where not knowing smelled like mildew and sounded like a muffled justice mumbling."
The slender volume also contains blues poetry, talks of Egypt and Africa, and longs for the company of women.
'I Don't Step in the Water' is the last poem.
"There is a place
between the building I'm caged in
and the one where the slop is served
where when it rains
two puddles form
….
puddles that form a map
of Africa
….
I do not splash through
but walk around
out of respect
and wonder why it is the black-topped pavement slopes
