Somewhere long ago in Africa,
a word was spoken.
The first thread was set on the loom
of history. The glorious, varied tapestry,
weaving our universal Mandela over
the last two hundred thousand years
emerged in it's multicolored -
multicultural pattern.
The synapses of humanity's collective
mind crackled alive around the flames
of campfire stories. Brags about tactics
of the hunt, how to plant by the stars,
praise for the gods - ascended with the smoke,
heavenward - spreading, firing electrical
impulses through the world brain-
connecting us all.
The rhythmic, mesmerizing chants and drums
of the clan echo across the ages, altering
our consciousness beyond the physical realm.
Imparting the collected knowledge of sages,
mystics and craftsmen to us. The realization
of this gift of words set us on the path to the
most important and shortest sentence of all.
I am.
