conlang*

I don’t like the way commas look when inside brackets.

‘Cool accents’ on letters was a good enough reason for me to sign a player in Championship Manager ’93.

I learned the power of words when I accidentally read the country name Niger as nigger when I was a six. My mum was upset and wanted to know where I’d heard it. I was stunned a word could draw such a reaction from her.

I have never visited Niger, but I have had the other word flung at me. Many times.

I spent nearly four years in Croatia and the only language I can remember is the numbers and curse words. Tri, šest, devet, jebi se.

Language has been a special interest of mine since I can remember.

There are parallels to be drawn between the highly coded language of our faceless black youth and the carefully braided maps of the underground railroad.

© Curtis Ackie 2022

Duane Michals, The Illuminated Man