That Was Many Years Ago
I was told many years ago,
By a college professor...
I had a tendency to write and speak,
Too lofty.
And 'if' I seriously wanted to communicate,
My thoughts for others to comprehend...
That I should perceive my audience,
To have mentalities of Third grade school children.
Well...
I did say that was many years ago.
Today...
No matter what I write or how I speak,
I am often asked 'WHERE' I am from?
So tempted am I to say...
'Somewhere your parents should have dropped you off.
Instead of wishing intelligence upon you.'
But,
Of course...
I keep those kind of comments to myself.
Especially today,
When I would only get a blank stare in return.
Or someone telling me to go back to Africa.
You know...
By those who are not believing Africa to be a huge continent,
With places far more advanced than TV depicts.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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African Skies
You say youre surprised
I thought Id write today
Pieces of my life
That time cant fade away
Land lies dry - africa
And the clouds roll by - africa
I held you every night
I believed in all youd say
Now the dust blows in my eyes
But those dreams wont fade away
The sky burns red - africa
Dont you cry - africa
Africa
When you cry it rains - africa
Still the children smile - africa
When you cry it rains - africa
When the wild dogs howl - africa
Still the clouds roll by - africa
Written by : kerr/burchill reproduced without permission
song performed by by Simple Minds
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Black Continent
Africa, Africa, Africa!
The Black Continent full of raw materials and talented people;
For the Blackman is capable of managing his own affairs.
Beautiful South Africa,
Beautiful North Africa,
Beautiful East Africa,
Beautiful West Africa,
And beautiful Central Africa! !
This Black Continent is full of natural resources.
Visit Africa to understand our ways,
For we have more to the world!
And like the muse of the animals in the forest,
But The Black Continent means a lot to all of us on this earth:
Africa, Africa, Africa! !
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Africa, Africa ooh Africa
Africa
continent of love
continent of caring
continent of women
Africa
you held me
you loved me
you saved me
Ooh Africa
where are you now
where is your support
please tell me it's not gone
Come back
Africa
Come back
we need you
poem by Sally Traore
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I see Africa
When i stand afar i see
nearer than ever
When i echo my fear
makes them bold
My race make me
speak in subdue, yet
i am proud to call
Africa my Africa
Eventhrough untied state
of Africa refuse to see
nearer than ever,
i still believe Africa is my
Africa no-matter what.
Oh great Marcus Garvey
my Africa brother, surely
Africa will remain Africa till the world dying days.
poem by Senator alufalism
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The Pride To Be An African
My Africa My Africa My Africa
My Africa of which everybody imitates
My Africa of which culture exceed the Greek
My Africa of which everyone is jealous of
My Africa My Africa My Africa
My Africa of enormous natural endowment
My Africa of Non-Violence
My Africa of Amorous populates
My Africa My Africa My Africa
My Africa of patriot men and women
My Africa of shelter and vintage hospitality
My Africa of great ancestral mythology
My Africa My Africa My Africa
My Africa that bore fruits of black diamonds
My Africa which is a gift to the whole world
My Africa of great leadership
My Africa My Africa My Africa
My Africa of learned youths
My Africa of a bright generation
My Africa true tradition
My Africa My Africa My Africa
My Africa of black pageant women
My Africa of strong men
My Africa from who we all hail from
For every African deserves a Nobel Prize in
Existence.
poem by Fasan paul
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Today I Shine
From the struggles of yesterday, today I shine
I have climbed from the ghetto that had me blind.
I was scorned by the curse of black stereotype
But my life has changed and today I shine
Just like the Diamonds of Africa,
Today I shine
I would not look back at my dark past,
Its lessons have taught me a whole new path,
A path though rough, the end is clear
Because my life has changed and today I shine,
Just like the Diamonds of Africa,
Today I shine.
I am stronger today than yesterday,
Because I'm on my feet, not on my knees
I have a voice and I would speak out
Because my life has changed and today I shine,
Just like the Diamonds of Africa,
Today I shine.
I have traded my rags for brand new robes
No more begging or free-loading.
When I walk in the court, you'll hear "All rise! "
That's because my life has changed and today I shine,
Just like the Diamonds of Africa
Today I shine.
Today I am what my ancestors couldn't be
A judge in the court as you all now see,
One thing I know, my conscience is free
I will always hand down a fair penalty.
That's because my life has changed and today I shine
Just like the Diamonds of Africa
Today I shine.
poem by C. Albert Andrews
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Dilema Of Going Home
Two decades now
Have I lived in America
And my mother
Calling from far away Africa,
Also my little sister
She propably was told of America
They all weap in my
dreams these days,
They want me back in Africa
To build the threshold of my father
That is far gone in decadence.
.
Home, I am coming home
To see my mothers face again
And my little sister Franscisca
She must be a woman by now.
But tell me brothers;
How could I ever go back to Africa
When I yet do not have wings for flight?
.
What would I say to the hungry
eyes of my mother, my sister?
What would I say to friends I left
behind my Africa ten years ago?
What would I say when they asked:
What have you brought for old
buddies you left behind ten years ago.
.
Ten years is long enough time
to be away from home,
And yet have nothing to show
for the labours.
poem by Efe Benjamin
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A Point To Prove
Every child knows its mother more than its father,
That is why i am crying in the wilderness of Africa!
I have a point to prove,
I have a mind to tell,
I have a poem to write,
In the wilderness of Africa to prove a point;
What about the plethora of Authors who do write?
What about they who write about Africa? ! !
Complex as it may be,
I am an African with a vision.
The obnoxious acts of slavery brought about,
The spread of the Africans worldwide;
Yesterday was the Slavery Days but,
Today is for you and me to tell the truth.
Every child knows its mother more than its father,
That is why i have a point to prove to you;
This world is our home but,
Why should some live and others starve?
Bombs with huge sums of money to invest on,
While many in this world have no food to eat;
Tomorrow comes and, what have you to say?
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Write Me A Letter
Write me a letter
Write me a letter
Write it today
Im goin away (yes it has)
Write me a letter
Write me a letter
Write it today
Im goin away (yes it is)
Well Ive been away forever
Suicides crossin my mind
Well Ill never, never get so far behind
I said, the ways of the night are evil
Without that lord of day
But Ill never, never get so far away
I said write me
Write me
Write me
Write me
I said write me
Write me
Write me
Well theres nothin I can see
Thatd ever make me
Want to be without her
Shes good, she good to me
Said theres no way to explain
The kind of feelin that you get out in the
She good, she good to me
She good, she good to me
I love her
Write me a letter
Write me a letter
Write it today
Im goin away (yes it has)
Write me a letter
Write me a letter
Write it today
Im goin away (yes it is)
Well Ive been away forever
Suicides crossin my mind
Well Ill never, never get so far behind
Well Ive been so many places
Hidin from the wind and the rain
But you could write me a letter
For to save me from goin insane
Write me
Excite me
Write me
Write me
Write me
Write me...
song performed by by Aerosmith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Africa's pain is my pain
Africa dear Africa
Your children are lonely and depressed
Africa dear Africa
Your children are at war with each other
Africa dear Africa
Your children are killing each other
Africa dear Africa
Your children are starving
Africa dear Africa
Your essence is pure but you are suffering
Africa dear Africa
your pain is my pain
So i sit here crying.
poem by Ayanle Isak
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When The Pen Sits Beside A Paper Doing Nothing
there is this time of the day
when you sit and stare and think about nothing
and so the pen merely places itself idly
on the table beside a paper
bland and blank
there is this emptiness that does not even speak for itself
you cannot write it
you cannot also write it off away from you
no one speaks there
except your thoughts
somehow you want to remember love
it smiles at you
and then you spell the word regret
always, and as usual,
it comes late, makes you chew a memory
it is bitter
and of course, like what they do, you spit it out.
to where it lands, a beautiful flower grows
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Where Africa is
Africa my land,
Africa my heart,
Africa my eternal,
Africa my inspiration;
Where are you?
Somebody has asked me
And let me tell him
Where you are.
You are between Pacific and Indian
Simple oceans made of fishers
More than that you are
In the centre of my spirit.
Africa is in me,
I am where Africa is.
poem by St Antoine de la Vuadi
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50 Years on This Physical Earth
50 years on this physical earth,
But husting and busting to make my name known t the world!!
Because, i have a message at hand;
And, it is not easy being born in Africa and being raised in Africa from a very poor family!
For, i can't stop the rain from falling on my head when,
I have no roof!!!
And like what is going on today in East Africa!
With the reflections of one of my Art Works called: 'We don't have aids but hunger'! !
Yes, from the very acts of my mind;
Because i am an African,
And i do know what it means to be in Africa.
Today, i am to thank Father Yahweh for all of His mercy and kindness towards me;
For He had really guided my steps from thr rough paths of an African's own story,
And, let His Mercy endures forever!!
For Africa is for the Africans and we have to know what goes on around us everyday;
And, in the land of Africa i was born,
But, have you to say?!!
Because, i am very proud to be an African!
And like the muse of your love in the land of many waters that satisfies us all.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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When One Is Thought To Be Kept Back
I had a professor who once stated,
In a humanities class...
I had attended years ago.
And...
That comment remains,
As an observation wherever I go!
'There are two who are kept at a disadvantage,
When one is thought to be kept back!
The one that is obviously being consciously held,
From advancement.
And the one too ignorant to tell,
What is the benefit being received from this...
In the keeping of others from attempting to excell? '
And I continue to think about this,
As today I witness...
The activities of those,
Who are clearly ludicrous...
As they look down upon others,
With turned up noses.
And this shows in a land,
Where great achievements have been made.
Only to smell of the origins from a gutter kept,
That has been actively dispelled...
At an accepting low grade,
Could keep people believing...
Some are chosen to deceive,
To have it made as they do as they please.
Dedicated to:
Dr. John Rodgers
Professor of African Studies and Humanities
And taught both at Greather Hartford Community College
Today known as Capital Community College
Downtown Hartford, Connecticut.
And...The University of Hartford.
Now deceased but Dr. Rodgers,
And his teachings remain 'timeless'.
'Thank you, Dr. Rodgers.'
~lsp~
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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You Don't Read Africa
Never have you ever sat
Or beneath African Suns lay flat
You insist on rumours fat
Liken to a rainy day's door mat
To judge where you haven't testified
And judge what ain't justified
You don't read Africa
You heard it is Hell's replica
With an oasis of virtual bliss
Where on semi-humans and snakes hiss
You watched him report
On a continent he hasn't rapport!
Why do you believe:
That which you perceive?
As Gospel-truth lies you receive?
Those that only your mind deceive?
Making you think 'Africa' is synonym to 'grieve'?
You don't read Africa
You only read about Africa
The cradle of mankind
You believe is to mankind unkind
You help in protests
Against nothing on your list of detests
You call it charity when you commission inquests!
Can a reader read a book here
When he is only there
There where he doesn't know where,
Where he feels and thinks is nowhere?
Read Africa from your heart
Not just when Africans hurt
You cannot read Africa miles apart
You read of Africa
You read about Africa
You read about Africa
You have read about Africa
You Don't Read Africa
poem by David Munene wa Kimberly
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Write me a lyric
Write me a poem
Write me a lyric
Write me a song
that my soul might sing
Speak to me of wonder
Speak to me of joy
Speak to me of friendship
That would be a special thing
Take me to the high places
The high places of your soul
teach me of the spirit
The dreams that keep you whole
And then if you turn your back
I will understand
We are all fleeting spirits
in an awesome divine plan
poem by Ludvig Von Himmelstein
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A Zimbabwean asks a question
O Great Spirit,
You who in Your form of the Chapungu,
the great eagle with sharper eye than any aeroplane,
watches over us and knows all things;
who even descends from your great circles of flight
over our beautiful land of stone and earth and tree
to show a child lost in the bush
the way back to the village and to home,
please show us, too, the way back home, to You.
You know I talk to you each day in my heart,
but today a man has asked me to speak some words
that many people may hear.
So I speak for Zimbabwe, and for the Africa
of which we are so proud:
for we in Africa are proud; and proud for You:
that in a mad and busy world, we have not forgotten
that every blade of grass and flower,
lizard, singing bird, lion, elephant,
are You in all your great disguises
and that all that we see around us
is You in the spirits of our ancestors
who listen to us and guide us;
and so we know that we must listen
to every creature to hear news of You...
and in the evening of each day
(which, we cannot now forget, may be our last)
as the men come home from work
and the women and children back from the fields,
and the smoke from the evening fires
rises above the huts,
and the smells of cooking fill the air,
we tell all our children round the fire
the truth about You
in all the tales our fathers and grandfathers have told us -
told to these children who have so recently come from You;
by those grandparents who will so soon come back to You;
they have so much to share and listen to,
about You!
And would you not agree, O Great Spirit,
that the smile of an African child
is the biggest thing you ever saw - or made?
It reminds every mother and father of Your smile,
and tells every grandparent what is in store for them...
So we rejoice to think, O Great Spirit,
that we are still your children,
and that You know what is best for us -
And so I ask you, especially today, O Great Spirit,
for all who may read this:
Are the spirits angry with us?
If they are, please tell me why?
And so, what can we do to stay close to You?
Many men have many answers to these questions
in the reasoning of men;
but nothing from men quite seems to 'do the trick';
so now, I'm simply asking You
to speak in Your own way;
since nothing from men quite seems to 'do the trick';
and, O Great Spirit,
Chapungu,
it is Your world, which we look after, and not ours...
poem by Michael Shepherd
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Oh Africa my Africa
Oh Africa my Africa land of diamonds. Oh africa my Africa land of great kings Shaka, Haile Silasi, mandela to name a few. Oh mother Africa my Africa rich in gold.oh Africa my africa full of beautful women. Yes africa my africa land of real nature.
poem by George mwandu
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Africa, I were the one you killed
In those misery-days;
Those days when happiness of birth cried;
-with an oversized echo;
Africa, when your gods roared in their wooden-cages
I were the twins you unjustly killed;
-Just to appease your gods
Again when darkness fell on the skin of your sky
-and gave it ugly spot;
I were the lamp-lights you held;
to walk on the blood-shed roads,
when your furious deities are thirsty and in full rage,
-in their desert homes.
My bloods you gave, to turn away their anger.
Africa, when you killed your'today'
Tell me what would your tomorrow be?
Thanks be to angel Mary Slessor,
who came to dry-clean the tears of Mama-Africa,
-with her most decent affection.
Truely the years've gone in a quick motion of time;
but its scar remains a badge on my heart
Africa, my Africa,
I were the twins you unjustly killed yesterday;
O the living history of misery;
Africa, I'm back-again today not to avenge,
but tell you how much I love you.
Adesitimi.
poem by Adesitimi Taiwo
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A colonized mind of Africa
Don't call my Africa a moron!
After stealing its means
Poisoning its food
Larcenous its resources,
And made it to look poor, like a church mouse
My African? Your mind is still colonized even today!
Africa you are now monotonous
With fake accent of colonization
Look! What colonization have done to your bright thoughts
I didn't know that it will last during your lifetime.
'Africa your mind is still colonized even today'
You use to have sharp shooter mind
You where In depth and independent
And now you are forever broke and in debt
You are breast feeding your children with disease-ridden milk
And your generation is mislaid generation,
Shorn of self worth and delicate identity
African children are on denial
They have give-up their Africanism 'Ubuntu'
They size their short hair with extensions
And paint their skin with this!
What is this? On African daughter?
Africa you are not yourself
Why? Who gave you food poisoning again?
When I gaze at you I see America!
When I take a glance at, you are Europe!
Your pregnancy with colonization
Was supposed to be miscarriage
Then I will approve death
A vital misfortune of your expectation
Your TB affects your children
Your infections give them a running bowel
They don't know which is which
Africa can I brain wash you?
And give you a medication for this infection.
'Africa your mind is still colonized even today'
poem by Jacques Sprenkie Mateya
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