Africa, the Strong

Africa Mother,

Africa Father,

Africa Daughter,
Africa Son…

Birth of the first family

Cursed with a terse Misunderstanding

Of this wanderer of alabaster skin.

African sun-tanning;

Melanin is a felon in

The new eyes of the African

Whose old eyes have been

Denied by European contacts.

Now how can Africa be perceived

Through dark eyes trying to visualize

A world tinted blue?

Where the sinless spew religious billets duox .

Christians on missions holding a heavy Holy Book

Meant to whip the light-hearted dark-skinned

Savage until Jesus Christ underpins his habits. 

The light-hearted African becomes Saved! Saved! Saved!

Now he, now she writes with a ferocity of a freed slave.

Equiano, Wheatley;

African culture replaced

With one that gives their existence meaning.

Yet listen to Adichie,

And ask yourself if she’s wrong.

Are You in America tasteless

On the tip of the outsider’s tongue?

Your Ebony Speech dismissed as dumb. 

Ask Princely Hope Glorious about that one.

Africa Mother,

Africa Father,

Africa Daughter,
Africa Son…

Conrad’s breath…Okonkwo’s death.

Blue Eyes and  Blond Whigs.

Beauty and politics mix

Well for those who sell

Themselves for a pair of tales.

Organic food for thought used to come naturally,

But now has turned the women and MENdacity

Into MENtal perverts seduced by European chastity.

The new African mantra: Capitalism is everlasting.

Those blue eyes, everlasting.

Ask the Asian kid Lee Min kyong

About her blepharoplasting.

Africa Mother,

Africa Father,

Africa Daughter,
Africa Son…

Birth of the first human breath.

This breath escaped,

Returning only to collect blood diamonds.

Young kids dying over fashion statements,

Diamonds, eagerly sold by persistent tradesmen.

Meanwhile, the African clans are quiet

Or dismissed from the African scene,

Reduced to National Geographic TV and color maps

Folded inside a magazine.

Africa Mother,

Africa Father,

Africa Daughter,
Africa Son…

You are strong, so get off your knees!

And roar like the Lion King.

Use your cunning like Anansi or stomp like the

Mighty elephant or charge like the bold rhino

Or creep like the hyena, the croc, the hippo…

Or beat your chest like the silverback.

They think you to be a gorilla anyway. Insulting?

Gorilla’s are more peaceful than a human being.

That human who’d kill for his luxury car,

Her animal scarf,

For his private jet,

Her silk dress.

Africa Mother,

Africa Father,

Africa Daughter,
Africa Son…

Yes, you have every reason to be steeped in

Nervous Conditions—Tambuitis.

Can you fight this?

Tsetse flies try to destroy you,

But you survive.

Nodding disease tries,

But you survive,

AIDS tries,

But you survive.

Colonists try,

But your heart still beats

Yes, you bleed…

And though many have left you in the dark,

There still lies a spark

Within a soccer ball. Give it a kick

And get a few hours of artificial light,

Thanks to Jess and Jules.

Some care about your plight.

Some people care enough to fight.

Africa Mother,

Africa Father,

Africa Daughter,
Africa Son…

Africa, the Strong.