Dedicated To Dr. W. H. Sheppard
[The returned missionary, who spent twenty years in Africa.]
On, on to the darkest continent,
As the Adriatic sailed,
In Eighteen Hundred and Ninety,
Many sad good-byes were wailed.
When two brave sons left their homes,
Their kindred, yea their blood,
To wade in Africa's unknown,
And overwhelming flood.
A caucasian and a negro,
United heart and soul,
Bound for Ethiopia's soil,
Yea Africa's distant goal.
As from the New York shore
The steamer slowly starts,
Sheppard and Lapsley bade good-bye
To sad but anxious hearts.
On, on, as the steamer glides,
'Mid the rippling water's whirl,
On to the wild and savage land,
The darkest in the world.
Yet, in that darkened land
Were millions, yea unfed,
Who never had been told
Of Christ the living bread.
But God had sent a message,
To these men so brave,
To go in Ethiopia's land,
And try these souls to save.
Gladly they heeded His command,
To go 'mid danger and strife,
And work in that distant land,
Yes, at the cost of life.
And so in Ethiopia's wild,
These two men so brave,
Prayed for Ethiopia's child,
Struggling a soul to save.
For weeks, yes, months they struggled,
Working day and night,
Until at last, how happy,—
There came a ray of light.
One soul had come to Christ,
One made to understand,
The blessed Savior's voice,
And heed to His command.
These leaders true and brave,
Prayed to Him on high a prayer,
To thank Him for this blessing,
And for His tender care.
But ere many months had passed.
There came a sad, sad day,
A cloud o'er Africa's land was cast,
For one had passed away.
A leader now was gone,
One whom they did love,
Rev. Lapsley had been called
To that home above.
His comrade also missed him,
For he was left alone,
To dwell in Ethiopia's land,
Afar from friends and home.
A work he had left unfinished,
Which he had resolved to do,
But Sheppard decided by God's aid
To carry the work on through.
So he started out one day,
With Africa's savage band,
Determined to make his way
To the Forbidden Land.*
Months they spent on the way,
To carry a ray of light
To Heathen who knew no day,
In a land where all was night.
After toiling daily,
With Ethiopia's sons,
Many were brought to Christ,
A victors crown was won.
They built a house of worship,
And toiled day after day,
Soon Ethiopia's sons
Had learned the narrow way.
They, too, began to preach,
And teach their fellowmen,
And for these blessings great
Their prayers did upward blend.
And in this land so dark,
Where never had been light,
The lame, in Christ, were made to walk.
The blind were given sight.
To Sheppard they gave great praise,
He'd ventured on their soil,
And Ethiopia's sons had raised
Thro' years of earnest toil.
For twenty years he struggled,
In Africa's darkened land,
Giving them the light
As they heeded his command.
Way off in Africa's land,
Let us in fancy look,
To see a heathen band,
Who'd never seen a book,—
Now preaching Christ and teaching,
With minds all free and bright,
All Hail to thee, oh Sheppard,
Who carried them the light.
A great work thou hast done,
To thee we give great praise,
Many laurels thou hast won
For thy remaining days.
poem by Maggie Pogue Johnson

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Africa's Praying
Let justice shield us
Yes indeed, be our defense
In this land
In Africa
Let there be a rain of blessing
Yes indeed, abundance in our store house
In this nation
In Africa
Heal our land, give us a cure
Unveil our vision
In this land
In Africa
Forgive us our debts
We are born debtors
In this land
In Africa
We will always remember your praise
When we walk in liberty
Oh Thou our God
In Africa
Let us lead again, with treasures
As in the days of old
This land
In Africa
We pray thee of highest heavens
We ascribe you all the greatness
We in this land
In Africa
poem by charles K wanjohi

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Ethiopia
Hot winds and hunger cries--ethiopia
Flies in your babies eyes--ethiopia
Walking sticks on burning plains
Betrayed by politics
Abandoned by the rains
On and on--the human need
On and on--the human greed profanes
Ethiopia--ethiopia--ethiopia
Your top soil flies away--ethiopia
We pump ours full of poison spray--ethiopia
Between the brown skies and sprinkling lawns
I hear the whine of chain saws
Hacking rain forests down
On and on--insanities
On and on--short sighted greed abounds
Ethiopia--ethiopia--ethiopia
Little garden planet-oasis in space
Some hearts hurt--they can hardly stand it
Famine phantoms at the garden gates
Ethiopia--ethiopia--ethiopia
Every sunday on t.v.--ethiopia
You suffer with such dignity--ethiopia
A t.v. star with a p.r. smile
Calls your baby it while strolling
Through your tragic trials
On and on--stupidity
On and on--the basic needs are defiled
Good air--good water--good earth
Ethiopia--ethiopia--ethiopia
Little garden planet--oasis in space
Some hearts hurt--they can hardly stand the waste
Ethiopia--ethiopia--ethiopia
song performed by by Joni Mitchell

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Oh It Is Africa
Oh it is Africa
Oh Africa it is my mother land
land of milk and honey
land of natural beauty
Oh Africa land is where i live
Oh Africa is
A land blessed by God himself
On the day of creation
God threw diamond like stone
gold like rain
He dropped crude oil like rain
Oh Africa
land of milk and honey
Oh Africa
Guns and bombs, tears and mud
Luxury limos race through blood
But bound by debt to hopelessness
poem by Lizzie Davis

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Don’t Cry For Me Africa
Don’t cry for me Africa
Because I will never let you out of my mind
I hear your voices people of Africa
I hear your cries people of Africa
I see pain in your eyes people of Africa
It is hard to describe what you people of Africa are going through
Poverty strikes you all people of Africa
Don’t cry for me Africa
Because I will keep you in my prayers people of Africa
Power to the people of Africa
People of Africa lift your spirit higher
Lord is the light and truth people of Africa
The Lord sends you a message from his heart to you people of Africa
He said because I love you
I will answer your prayers
I hear your prayers
Don’t cry for me Africa
Because you have a friend that is the Lord
People of Africa continue doing the Lords work
Make a wish people of Africa
The people of Africa are looking at the Lord face to face
Lord here is no paradise
We dream a little dream said the people of Africa to the Lord
The People of Africa Pray that the Lord will give each other strength every day
Don’t cry for me Africa
Save the people of Africa
Strengthened the people of Africa each day
Because I’ll be there in your dreams people of Africa
The people of Africa tells The Lord how much they love him
Don’t cry for me Africa
Lord comes when you are ready people of Africa
Feelings you have for your Lord People of Africa
And I know you will never let it die
Nothing but flowers the people of Africa will plant in the sea shore for the Lord
Don’t cry for me Africa
The people of Africa needs hope to heal there land
The Lord rose up on you people of Africa
Don’t cry for me Africa
My heart will go on
Once I close this door of the ship I will sail across the Atlantic Sea
poem by Aldo Kraas

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The african mermaid
Africa our mother's land
Beauty of our mother's land is like a mermaid
I will never forget her for the rest of my life
Let us appreciate her for we are raise from there
Land of unity and pride
Africa, land of fertility and minerals
I hail you with my heart africa
Africa the beautiful mermaid.
poem by Segun Odukoya

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Africa's Calling
Take me back to Africa
where Hippos and Lions roam.
Where Giraffes and Zebra live in harmony
making Africa's tundra their life, their home.
Rains come not often to drench dry thirst of land
not as often as one would like.
Locus clouds plague the land
while devouring everything in sight.
Uglyness yet beauty of this land
only the stong can and will survive.
Scavenger birds picking bones clean
all that was hunted, killed and died.
Africa calling, this land inbred in me.
Just take me home to Africa
Africa's calling again to see.
poem by Linda Winchell

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Africa my land
Africa my land
Land of the condemned
Your mountains are the measures of your strife
Your rivers are the measures of your tears
Your soil is the measure of your pride
Africa my land
Land of trials and tribulations
Your wisdom has raised foreign nations and instilled hope to the desolate
Your African sun still shines jubilantly, lighting your beauty and humility
Your scars are hidden in your valleys and streams
Africa my land
Land of conquerors and warriors
With cracked feet you continue to stand
Like Sirius you shine against all odds
exonerate your fears and continue to strive
Africa my land
Land of hope and victory
Beat the drum and call your children to rejoice in your might and strength
Let your wounds mark the battles you've won
Let your beauty mark the beginning of a great journey, but not the end
poem by Thobile Masondo

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
African Boy
I am a young African boy
A unique individual with my own personal inspiration
Which is the golden key to build my future.
With a mind confused
I can still reach politely to others.
With a heart that's has been destroyed
I can still feel and care for others.
With pain that has cut deep down in my heart
I can still fell sympathy for others. with all that is in me I can still overcome those situations.
I can be a person I am
The one whose heart is filled with joy and passion.
I am a young African boy.
I'm proud of my black badged African skin.
I am an African
Not because I was born here
But because my heart beats with Africa.
Not because my skin is black
But because my mind is engaged by Africa.
I am an African
Not because I live on its soil
But because my soul is at home in Africa.
When Africa weeps for her children
My chicks are stained with tears.
When Africa honor her elders
My head is bowed with respect.
When Africa mourns for her victims
My hands are joined in prayer.
Africa my home
Africa my land
Land of peace
Land of my forefathers
Land of my birth
When Africa celebrates her triumphs
My feet are alive with dancing.
poem by Elvis Fout

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Africa. A land...
Africa.
A land full of mysteries,
A land where the Gods speaks,
A land where Nature talks in secret ancestral tongues,
A land rich in Culture and Heritage,
The soil, drenched in sweat and blood
Listens to the poundings of the African feet
As they dance to the sound of patriotism.
Africa.
The land of hope and bliss,
The land of milk and honey,
The land where freedom was fought for,
The land rich in natural beauty,
The people, blessed with strength and grace
Fights for the love of their land
As they listen to the pleas of the drenched soil.
poem by Muneerah Abdulrahman

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
To Doris
She said I come from a land flanked by the warmer seas
A flat brown land that stretch for miles with hardly any trees
In my dreams I see the big game parks and the open plains I see
'Oh' Africa my Africa I hear you calling me.
I hear the male lion cough and roar and the wild hyena scream
And the Natives dance before my eyes so real to me they seem
I hear them singing in the night and their drumming I too hear
And Africa close to my heart though miles away from here.
Doris accent is a give away as accents often are
You'd know that to get to this great Land that she's had to travel far
Her lovely South African accent one never should mistake
The migrant may live far from home but ties that bind are hard to break.
A farmer's daughter from South Africa her life story ought be told
A woman close to eighty years though she doesn't look that old
A teenager in the thirties the hard life she has been through
Her only brother a prisoner of war in Europe in world war two.
Her ill mother convinced her son had died lost the will to live on
And he returned home to the tragic news that his mum was dead and gone
There's sorrow blood and tears in war and tragedy as well
And for mums with sons on battlefields life must be living hell.
She raised five sons in South Africa and one died at twenty five
Brain damaged by measles as a child she helped him to survive
And Doris with great sadness says that her son's life was far too brief
There's ups and downs in life she says and there's happiness and grief.
With her son and daughter in law she lives east of Melbourne now by road off 'One Tree Hill'
A woman from a far Country and suppose she always will
Feel homesick for her home Country, I love Australia she say
But my homeland is South Africa the brown Land far away.
poem by Francis Duggan

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Spirit of Africa
To
visit Africa,
to spend time
to notice
beauty of the land.
To feel its heat,
to drink it’s waters,
to observe, to marvel,
at its creatures,
great and small.
To see the diversity
of its people, in all
their rainbow shades,
to feel their warmth,
their love, their
big-heartedness.
Means Africa,
has touched your soul,
you have breathed in
a love of Africa, a love
that never ceases,
a love that never
goes away.
you have been
delighted, charmed,
have become
enchanted by
The Spirit of Africa.
For Africa is a
land of spirits,
they occupy dirt,
soil, trees, flowers
fruit, food that feeds;
the mountains, streams,
rivers, seas, oceans,
air, the breath of life, and
all the people of its land.
Africa believes,
that before time,
before,
things began,
there was nothing,
save for a void,
a sphere of spirit
that knew no limit;
it did not have a name.
This one spirit split
broke up, spread,
to change, to
create our world,
and all that’s here.
This one spirit
known to us as love
stays the same, to
invade all it made,
all that visit, especially
those that stay.
Now if you leave,
you’ll always
yearn, you’ll hunger
you’ll always
have that longing
to return.
14-07-2009
poem by Bob Blackwell

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
My African Land
Forgotten trodden past
Hopeful saintful future
I walk in my African land
Africa bears its fruits on crushed branches
Its children bear hope to a tortured yesterday
I walk in my African land
With its tormented heart it loves
With is abused state it sees happiness
With its crushed psyche it looks on caringly
I walk in my African land
I embrace the streets of struggle
Covered by the sands of war from a grieved soul
My African people stride in colourful clothes
As a rainbow ending stormy rage of corrupted seas
I walk in my African land
Tall buildings escalated egos
Fancy cars, classy hearts
Large salaries, tiny compassions
My Africa forgets the hardships endured
My brother forgets Ubuntu
My Africa loses sight
Still,
I walk in my African land
My Africa shines with the sun
That burns dry the tears of his people
I walk in my African land
My Africa rises to a new world of liberty
Freedom from chained minds
Freedom from captured dreams
Freedom from limited abilities
I walk in my African land
My Africa bids welcome
As I enter with pride
Knowing that the war has been won
And success awaits
I walk in my African land
poem by Gabi Ngubeni

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Dear Africa
Dear Africa a land sweeter than honey
A land that is renowned for its richness
But things have changed, the color of the land has turn bloody
Both young and old, men and women yearn for calmness.
The greeness of the land, the beauty of its culture oh Africa what a beautiful milieu.
Your kindness and hospitality has being used against you
Your inhabitants, your people have being used and enslaved
Working in the plantations, train railways, and mines and they are still slaved.
Africa you could have being the most powerful continent in the world.
But its like this was not meant to be
Your people can't still find rest, because of greener pasture and slavery They whirled around the world.
forgetting what they left behind, the beauty of the forest, people say its herby.
The wars, the fighting, they give us guns and ask us to kill one another
We slice, slaughter, cut eachother as if we are butchers.
Africa your people have suffered badly
some say its because of the idol worship but Africa has changed lately.
There is still a question that is yet to be answered
why is Africa still not united?
They say our leaders are corrupt
If its so then they have to stop because the continent is now bankrupt.
Racism, injustice, brutality oh africa what haven't you seen
the people, the society have suffered and are still suffering oh God what a life of insanity.
They have robbed us of what is rightfully ours
why is society so unfair to us.
We don't know about the next world
but if God is as fair as people say then our suffering wont be in vain in The next world
If things still persist then lets pray for the end of the world each day.
WE LOVE YOU AFRICA
poem by MASIREH sanyang

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
She'd Love To Live In Africa
She'd love to live in Africa in the land of the Maasai
And with the tribal people dance under the moonlit sky
The rhythmic drummer beats his drum and the dancers rock and sway
She'd love to live in Africa twelve thousand miles away.
The hungry male lions cough and roar in the African night
And the sounds of galloping hooves and zebras whinnying in fright
And the elephants are trumpeting and the the wild hyaenas
scream
And to live in distant Africa has always been her dream.
She's never been to Africa but she can visualize
The fish eagles are circling o'er the lake she hear their cries
And a flock of beautiful flamingos of ten thousands birds or more
Are feeding in the shallows just in from the lake shore.
All documentaries on Africa she watches on T.V.
And she'd love to live in that great Land amongst the wild and free
But time is running out on her she now is sixty two
And her dream of life in Africa for her may not come true.
Her brain urge her to walk and jog but her legs will not obey
And she won't be going to Africa twelve thousand miles away
A long time paraplegic she sits in her wheel chair
And she dreams of distant Africa 'doesn't life seem so unfair'.
poem by Francis Duggan

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
So Much Said in one Six-Letter Name
Africa
The heart of darkness
Land of blood red diamonds
Temptress of our imagination
Warning to our leagues of nations
The original fall of empires
Tortured land of gun and spear
Action will come within the years
A continent’s nations changing gears
Land of Safaris
Cradle of Society
Where wildlife is not just animals
Cruel and Dirty
Calm and Serenity
Africa, our hearts’ entire
poem by Kaz Kawasaki

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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
Vote! | Copy!
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

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!