Now is the Time
Make poverty history,
Put an end to misery.
Be brave, America,
Give life to Africa.
Help it smash the chains
Of greed, ill-gotten gains.
Bite the bullet and give,
Let Africa breathe and live.
Once, a Council in secret convened,
Unjustly, a death sentence decreed.
An innocent on the Cross bled,
No one dared to come to his aid.
The G8 summit, too, will in secret meet,
Will the rich embrace the poor and greet?
Will the condemned innocents
Be freed from ills, poverty and Aids?
*The G8 summit was convened in
Scotland in July 2004
poem by Isam Hussain
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The Dark Continent
'Africa my beginning, Africa my end. I was born here and I will die here'
Africa you bear my hopes and fears
Poverty, famine, crime and AIDS are words which plague Mother Africa's name
These demons bring me shame
While people try to make Africa better, a few let the hardship overpower them
Shame on them
They give up hope and go about their knavish ways
Even though there's hope on the horizon, be that as it may
They continue to destroy what little Mother Africa has
Africa is no longer what she was
'Mother Africa is weeping'
Yet a new dawn may be creeping
Mother Africa and her children are beautiful, they know their place in nature
Even though hardship may corrupt good nature
In the name of ALL that is good, I hope Africa will rise one day
And we'll stop the suffering before she frays
The words upon a famous poet, I hear
'Africa my beginning, Africa my end. I was born here and I will die here'
poem by Mthoko Mpofana
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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
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Day Break Africa
Twenty-one days to an overthrow,
Twenty-one years from a hide-out;
Day break Africa with news around the world!
Out of changes, out of words,
One out of the muse that i bring to you;
Living on One Dollar a day means that,
We have no aids but hunger! !
Day break Africa with words from a bard,
Like a serious rethinking to all mankind;
Life in Africa matters to me a lot.
Braving through the thick and thin clouds of Africa,
Like the time when a party wins;
A muse like this puts up a serious rethinking.
Day break Africa with hunger,
Day break Africa with hospitality;
Mark the beloved child who wakes up early with,
No food at all! Yes, an empty stomach! !
Just like their parents and care-takers,
Just like the things you see around;
A life and death struggle for survival!
Lawlessness! A child is born;
With an empty bowl beside him or her.
This is to learn about the hardships of Africa,
This is to grow up in the mist of nothing;
Where many talents die out easily!
From hope to poverty,
from the North to the South;
From East to the West,
From the mountains to the rivers;
We need our fertile minds to do the thinking.
Gone-East, gone-West, gone out of bounds;
From the North to the South without hope,
Day break Africa with hunger!
More deaths cases are reported on malaria than aids,
But our best works are not even well known to the world;
Since, they rather cloth us with aids! ! !
From O.A.U. to A.U.,
From poverty to aids;
How long can we hoist a flag for our emancipation? !
Day break Africa with words,
Day break Africa with hope,
Day break Africa with Hunger,
Day break Africa with dreams;
Oh, how long can we hoist a flag for our emancipation?
Day break Africa!
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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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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Poor As I Am
I live in Kinshasa,
The foundation of poverty,
The summit of culture,
A strange mixture: I know.
Poverty is a general state
Our natural behaviour
And they told me conscientiously
That my generation is a sacrificed one.
Poor as I am
I am trying to struggle
Against all consequences of colonialism
Convinced that another day
I will become rich
As they say of my country.
poem by St Antoine de la Vuadi
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Africa We Stand Up For You
When they ask you tell them you are from Africa.
Africa and nowhere else.
Africa has made you
Africa has made me;
It is time to make Africa.
So Mother Africa
Do not be in haste.
Your sons and daughters
Still live.
They live you rather than leave you.
Once perched we will fly.
Fly to you and not from you.
Your songs of praise
Will always be sung unrestrained.
You are Beautiful, Africa.
Africa you will never go on your knees.
We were imprisoned,
We were exported,
We were whipped in those days,
We went on our knees,
But it was not for a lack of hope
Or a plea of submission on our part.
Rather, our kneeling was to take
Courage from the brown earth,
Your Symbol-In-Common.
Like the Saviour among thieves on the cross,
Africa will be the Lighthouse to the world.
Diop may have died at thirty-three,
Left behind only twenty-two poems,
But Africa we say this to you:
More Diops will rise.
And even live to a Senghor.
Yes, Africa, do not be in haste.
Your children are still Alive.
And no death can ever kill Us.
poem by Hamza Issah Danjuma
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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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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 Today
Where is Nationalism, Solidarity, Socialism?
All I see are the Civil wars, we are fighting
together for power, demoralizing our people.
I'm talking about Dictatorship, Autocracy,
Despotism, Monocracy, Where is the Freedom,
independence, Equality, Self Determination we
fought for.
Could Nkwame Nkrummah, Jomo Kenyatta,
Kamuzu Banda, Joshua Nkomo have imagined
that Africa would be like this after they fought for it?
What would they be thinking when they see Africa like
this, deteriorating in our hands?
We are free but our minds are still in chains.
Where is African Unity?
We are allowing the lines of the borders to separate us.
We are fighting together African against another
African What for?
Where is generosity, kindness, charity?
The poor is poor and rich is rich.
What is this jealous and selfishness in Africa today.
Africa the land of minerals, wealth, multicultures
now is the land of poverty, civil wars, political crisis.
They call us the Dark Nation now we are proving
them right, because of this barbaric behavior.
Africa my land 'let us bring the spirit of solidarity
back to us just like Nelson Mandela when he says its
all in our hands it depends to us.
Let us hold our hands together and pray for our Nation,
may God bless Africa...Amen.
poem by Kholekile Monakali
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America of Our Dreams
I am not in Africa
But Africa is in me,
Africa lies in my blood,
Where I was brought
up, amidst this rot;
This rot that had eaten deep
Into the heart of my Africa.
If we could right this wrong
Then we could make of Africa,
The America of our dreams.
poem by Efe Benjamin
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Poverty In The 21st Century
It’s the 21st century
The media displays it day and night,
Poverty.
Poverty across the globe lies
Poverty cries out from the belly of little boys
Little girls, parents too
Desperately searching for food,
Shelter, clothing, for love,
Companion, for attention
Those with plenty, refuse
To amend, a world haunted by
Poverty.
Is poverty affecting the rich?
Are their poverty the same
As the poor in financial constrains?
For they, too, poverty of love
I see poverty in the learned
I see poverty in those whose
Selfish acts are destroying society.
I see poverty in all level of humanity
The world is still an imperfect place
Yet life is still beautiful, the wind
Blows, we see it not, give thanks
For what you possess, now go,
Help if you can along the way,
Help to eradicate poverty
In your surrounding, widen
Your boundary across your
Country, to nations of the world.
Help to fight poverty, now!
poem by Winston Harding
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Africa of My Dream
Africa, my Africa of my dream
Here is where I want to be
And here I have always been,
At my end, here is where I want to sleep.
Africa, I have been away for too long
Please don't cry for me my mother
Twenty years is a long time to be
Away from home,
But I am still here, my one home
My Africa, my Africa of my dream
Many are leaving, leaving for America,
But I am still here and here
Is where I will always be,
My Africa is my America.
We are working towards that,
A better Africa, a great Africa!
This is Africa of my dream,
My Africa is my America.
poem by Efe Benjamin
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What Do You Know About Africa?
What do you know about Africa?
Is it the news, the views or the review
Of news paper overviews.
Is it the Aids patient or the patience
We have with Western Aids?
Is it the grain of wheat
Or the gains of the elite.
What do you know about Africa?
Do you know the media exaggerates
The stories to sell their views.
Do you know we don’t sleep on trees?
I heard in the West the pictures
Shown on TV is only on HIV.
I also heard that the perceptions
Out there is that there is no reception
Because they say the whole Africa
Is in big confusion.
Let me tell you something today,
Mercedes is selling at Silver Star,
Shell is refueling the used cars
Uniliver is distributing provisions
And The American Air line is making
Millions of Dollars. All in Africa.
I guess you think there is only
Poverty but some of us are living
In mansion only own by stars
In the West. Africa is also blessed
With resources as a continent and
Humans with High Culture
Let me tell
You what I know about my continent
It is not the hell they spell
In their news, their views or review
It is the lies and assumed commitment
Of the called first world economy
On my resources and economy?
The human resource,
The mineral resource
And the influence on Puppet
Leaders who are victims
Of colonialism.
That is the reasons
Our seasons are not at a height
And our reasoning always in fight
With our very being.
But don’t get caught up in the hypes
And jives of the News Makers.
They are only creating a world
For your minds.
They are creating perception
Not perfections
That is what the people like
Freedom will call Mental Slavery.
From today on,
Learn more about Africa
From the African.
Dansoman Accra Ghana 2004
poem by Aziz Baako
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So Deep
Almost half of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa
lives on less than one dollar a day
the highest level of poverty in the world.
My little neurotic sexual white mans mind is aloof
Rio De Janeiro at war
The rich amidst abject poverty
Drug gangs armed and desperate
Darling another silk stocking love poem
2 billion people make less than 2 dollars a day
Over a fourth of the world doesn't eat enough
Distribution of wealth is as real as death
Poverty, despair, gangs, guns, ignorance
2.6 billion people have poor sanitation
4100 children die a day from diarrhea
11,700 die a day from AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria
67.5 million children are out of school around the world
Kiss me with disdainful apathy
Suckle our we are going to heaven luxury
Our sweet so called Christian values
Darling isn't our relationship so deep
poem by Joseph Narusiewicz
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I Owe To You The Peace Train
I owe to you the peace train
That will help you to flee from
Africa
And get you out of Africa to a better
Place to live that is safe
And away from starvation and
Aids
Beloved people
Of Africa
poem by Aldo Kraas
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Thank You My Africa
Thank You My Africa
For Giving Birth To Me
For All The Blessings
And For Choosing Me As Your Daughter.
Thank You My Africa
For Selecting Me To Represent
Everything That You Own
And Wherever I Go.
Thank You My Africa
For My Other Sisters And Brothers
For My Other Fathers And Mothers
And The Perfect Weather.
Thank You My Africa
For My Happiness And Dignity
The Love And Careness
For My Roots And Capability.
Thank You My Africa
I Love And Appreciates You
For Being A Good Samaritan To Foreign Countries
Because Of Everything They Go Through.
Thank You My Africa
For Your Capacity
For Your Originality
And Your Diversity.
Thank You My Africa
For Letting Me Overcome Old Pains
To Have Many Opportunities
Privileges, Luck And Alot More Gains.
Thank You My Africa
For The Light That Shines Through
And Even If They Call You Dark Africa
I Declare You As A Bright One Because You Are So True.
Thank You My Africa
For My Beautiful Curved Body
Which Represents All The Roads
The Mountains And Rivers In You.
Thank You My Africa
For I Come From You
And My Appreciation For All That
I Say; I Love You My Africa.
poem by Julius Adolf
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Hello Africa
Hello africa are you still sleeping
Don’t you know that your God has brought another morning
Your brothers had cross the river already
And yet you are still not ready
You are the one that help them cross
Because you are the one that God give strength and force
Hello africa can tou hear me
To cross the river with speed light you can flee
Your brothers are waiting for you
But it is as if you did not want to go through
Hello africa are you dreaming
You need to wake up time is flying
Your sons are the vivid enemy
They embesseled your wealth making it their money
Hello africa you need to wake yp
Your brothers are anxious they did not want to stop
They are tired of helping you
They want to see you do
Hello africa I am inside you
Can you hear me your sons are looting you
Wake up africa wake up
You need to rise and stand up
poem by Kemurl Fofanah
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The White African
The White African
By
Ross Dix-Peek
Over the great ocean seas
My ancestors did choose to flee,
Europe’s rumblings and poverty,
And to “Darkest Africa” did journey
It was many, many years past,
When Queen Vic’ was still at the mast,
When my forebears resolute did come,
To live beneath the great African sun
Since has Mother Africa suckled our young
To us her lullabies and sweet songs sung,
And all this time ‘neath her fiery mantle
Did my people in Africa live, toil and battle
Africa is not for the mild and the meek,
It's no place at all for the feeble and the weak,
And the days oft be savage and so very long,
Yes, it's only for the brave and the very strong
Many generations did pass, and many years shorn,
Before I too upon African soil was born,
Like my fathers’ before, a White African,
Created and cast beneath her scorching sun
And although I have since her rugged shores left,
My soul to Mother Africa’s bosom will forever be cleft,
And though I may miss the tight embrace of an African sun,
It matters not, for I will forever be a White African!
poem by Ross DixPeek
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To You, Africa
You are a beautiful terra firma
With beautiful people
Rich in history
Rich in prosperity
You are a land of life hard lived
Through droughts and famines
Your people had a lot to give
Your villages were of close community
Unlike that of civilization
You were the best example
that the world could have seen
Then the toubob began to arrive
And your people were taken
With no regard for your childrens lives
I know you are still shaken
Taken from the land they loved
Shoving their beloved Earth into their mouth
For one last taste of you, Africa
Your people have been stolen
Your people have been killed
Your generations have been lost
Your families have been torn apart
Your people have been enslaved
Your women have been raped
Your people have long suffered
Your people have lived through misery
Stolen for what purpose
Other than to be a serf
Some say it could have been worse
But we know it was the worst
Africa, your people are great
Your people are strong
Your people survived through it all
Your people still sung their songs
After 1865 they were freed
Yet still they were enslaved it seemed
Today there are still places that ban your people
Brought here unwillingly, to this 'land of the free'
Your people are who can change this nation
Your people are here for that reason
All hope is not lost
We will succeed regardless of the cost
This is to you, Africa
poem by Ryan Sanders
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Sonnet: The Magic of Poverty
A birth in poverty is luck supreme!
A death in poverty, a great blessing;
A life of poverty is rare a dream;
Achievements great, stark poverty can bring.
’Tis poverty that goads nations do feats;
’Tis poverty that stimulates scientists;
In everything, poverty, wealth just beats;
The greatest men were in poverty’s lists.
And poverty lessens our worries much;
Account to God will be much easier;
Poverty gives the saint a divine touch;
In poverty, poets can fly higher!
Poverty helps to shun worldly pleasures;
A soul in poverty, Heaven allures.
9-14-2002
poem by John Celes
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