hunger pangs

I hunger for Cameroon
like a newborn at the breast.
I need her rich sustenance,
intimate rawness, & quiet warmth.
I long for her earthy eyes
to comfort and reassure me
as I look up during a feed.

At such a far distance,
I scramble to satisfy myself
with the crumbs of memory and fantasy,
watching documentary after documentary about Africa,
YouTube clips, blogs, articles,
photo albums and journals from previous trips -
just to get a taste of what my body longs for.

The taste draws out the tinge of hunger
to a bellowing roar in my belly.
I do not know how long I can wait
before satisfying this pang.